Examining
School Climate
for Meaningful
Change

Why the SCAI is the Most Effective

  • The analytic structure provides the most reliable assessment of climate and function. You obtain the most accurate, meaningful and usable data possible as the cure is implied in the diagnosis with the SCAI.
  • It is approved by the US DOE and has been used successfully in over 500 schools.
  • 0.7 correlation with other key success indicators such as student achievement. This is a unique capacity of the SCAI.
  • Cross-referenceable versions for students, teachers and staff and parents, for both the elementary and secondary levels. All versions are available online or on paper.
  • Items are grounded in the factors of "psychology of success" so the SCAI provides a clear window into the level of social and emotional learning, pedagogical quality, school culture, and the operating mindset of the school.
  • Supported by the comprehensive explanation for engaging the process of school improvement in the book Transformative Leader’s Roadmap.
  • Integrated with the strategies detailed in Transformative Classroom Management (TCM)

School Climate Score (SCAI) by Student Achievement (percentile)

Line Graph Derived from a Scatter Plot of Achievement Scores by Climate/SCAI
When ASSC SCAI School Climate ratings at any school are correlated with the student achievement scores at that school, we find a very strong relationship. As you can see in the scatter plot figure from one data set, when the climate is high, the achievement is high, and when the climate is low the achievement is also low. This degree of correlation (+0.7) is only obtained with the SCAI.

Where is your School On The Effectiveness Roadmap?

Growth Pathway on the Roadmap - SCAI School Climate Ratings, and Corresponding Predicted Achievement Displayed on the Teaching Style Matrix
Growth Pathway on the Roadmap - Teaching Style Matrix
The ASSC School Assessment System features the unique School Effectiveness Roadmap. The roadmap features include:
  • A four quadrant school paradigm matrix
    • Vertical axis function, capacity, and coherence
    • Horizontal axis values orientation
  • School Climate by Student Achievement Correlation data points
  • Practical and conceptual position finder explaining qualities that characterize roadmap locations
The roadmap integrates the features above into one model that is capable of locating the quality of the climate and effectiveness of any school or classroom. Each location on the roadmap implies and can predict a series of elements including a) the intention of the school or classroom, b) the common practices, and c) the results expected on a range of outcomes. Using the roadmap is invaluable for effectively charting a course to a better quality of climate and performance. The book Transformative Leaders Roadmap: Systematically Actualize Your School’s Full Potential and several other resources from ASSC are available to help school leaders provide expert facilitation of their school change effort.

Explained in detail in The Transformative Leader's Roadmap

School Leadership Resources

Transformative Leader's Roadmap by John Shindler » What TCM is to the Classroom, TLR is to School Leadership

Other School Leadership Resources

More Resources

Transformative Classroom Management (TCM)

Transformative Classroom Management by John Shindler

TCM: Classroom Practices that Lead Schools up the Pathway.

  • Best classroom management book period. Teacher
  • As a teacher trainer, I would recommend this book as a 'must have.' It could help teachers everywhere. Teacher Trainer
  • Great Book! I highly recommend this book for those schools trying to turn around. Teacher
  • TCM is the best available resource to support our RTI level 1 process. Administrator
  • Inspiriting and Inspiring! New Teacher

Why TCM?

TCM is simply the most effective set of practices for creating classroom excellence!
  • TCM will:
  • Take your school to the next level of function and effectiveness.
  • Increase student achievement.
  • Create a psychology of success in every classroom.
  • Improve your school climate and move your school up the effectiveness pathway.
  • Make your PBIS or RTI program work the way that you had originally hoped with practical ideas for getting better immediately.
  • Provide a foundation so that RJ can actually work at your school.
  • Make the high performing student-centered classroom a realistic, practical and attainable goal.
  • Integrates well with your mindfulness and/or social emotional learning promoting efforts

TCM Resource Materials

More Resources

Paragon Learning Style Inventory

The Paragon Learning Style Inventory (PLSI) is a self-administered survey that provides a very reliable indication of learning style and cognitive preference. It uses the four Jungian dimensions (i.e, introversion/ extroversion, intuition/sensation, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving) that are also used by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Murphy Meisgeir Type Indicator, and the Keirsey-Bates Temperament Sorter. But this is the only instrument that can be self-scored and works with ages 9-adult. More Resources

Mindfulness Corner

What is a Transformative Mindset?

A transformative mindset is simply an intention to do away with the self-limiting references (values, narratives, beliefs, conditioning, etc.) that we are using currently and then opening ourselves to discovering more of the potential within us, our colleagues and our students, and then finding and applying the actions and practices that are most likely to make that happen.

This site includes a growing series of mindfulness resources for teachers.

Resources to support a more mindful and conscious level of practice