Frequently Asked Questions About the CSCI

How was the CSCI developed and is it a scientifically sound tool?
What kind of report will we get?
At what grade levels can we use the CSCI with students?
Does the CSCI come in languages other than English?
How long does it take for a student and for an adult to take the CSCI?
How will you use the demographic data that you request on the survey?
Will my school report be confidential?
When will we get back the report?
Do you compare and rate schools with the CSCI?
What have other schools said about the CSCI?
We know what our concerns are. Is it still necessary to take the CSCI?
We already have a Character Education or Social Emotional Learning programs, Peer Mediation, risk prevention and/or health promotion efforts underway. Can we use the CSCI to evaluate how these efforts are working and/or not working?
When we receive the CSCI report, what can we do with it?
How much does it cost to administer the CSCI and get a report?
Where might I get funds to help pay for the CCL Program?
Who should I contact at CSEE if I am interested in learning more about the CSCI?
Who was responsible for developing the CSCI?

1.Has the CSCI been developed in a scientifically sound manner?

Yes. Over the last three and a half years, we have gone through a series of scientifically sound steps. Building on past research we worked with groups of educational and measurement experts to develop a first version of the CSCI. The CSCI subscales were developed based on a theoretical and conceptual framework that draws on up-to-date research in K-12 education, character education, social emotional learning, risk prevention and health/mental health promotion. The CSCI has been field-tested and the results subject to appropriate analysis. Evidence from the foundational work supports CSEE â€“ and you â€“ using the CSCI to draw valid and reliable inferences on the attitudes of the three groups (students, parents and school personnel) toward school climate as measured by these scales. Validation of surveys is an optimally an ongoing process. CSEE will continue to study and improve the CSCI.

The following paper, Understanding and Assessing School Climate: Development and validation of the Comprehensive School Climate Inventory (CSCI), is currently under review at a peer-reviewed journal. If you would like to see a copy of this when it is released, please write to Jonathan Cohen, Ph.D. (jonathancohen@csee.net)

2.What kind of report will we get?

Your school will receive a numerical and a narrative report plus a PowerPoint summary of the report highlights. The are four sections in the report: (1) an overview to school climate and the report; (2) a narrative and numerical summary that describes how students, school personnel and parents responded to the ten CSCI factors; (3) Recommendations and Guidelines; and, (4) detailed numerical findings that show how people responded to every single question in the CSCI.

The report also includes a PowerPoint summary of CSCI findings, which some school leaders may want to use to communicate school climate findings to various members of the school community. To learn more about this report click here.

3.At what grade levels can we use the CSCI with students?

The CSCI is has been developed in a scientifically sound manner and validated and has been successfully used in K to 12 school settings. There are three student versions:

High School: 9th to 12th grade
Middle School: 6th to 8th grade:
Elementary: K to 5th grade.

4.Does the CSCI come in languages other than English?

Yes. Currently, CSCI for parents is available in Spanish. Please let us know if you see a need for additional translations.

5.How long does it take for a student and for an adult to take the CSCI?

For Students: It usually takes 20 minutes for students to complete the CSCI. It may take more time for students with special needs to complete. When very young children take the CSCI, it will take longer than 20 minutes. For Adults: Generally, adults can complete the CSCI in 15-20 minutes. Schools have had success completing the CSCI during faculty or grade level meetings

6.How will you use the demographic data that you request on the survey?

We gather demographic data based on gender, ethnicity, and position in the school, grade level, and number of years working in the school. Currently, we provide a chart of the demographics of those who completed the CSCI.

7.Will my school report be confidential?

Yes. The CSCI is completely confidential.

8.When will we get back the report?

Your Leadership Team will receive a draft of the report within two weeks after the school submits the completed surveys to us. A draft of a narrative report will be sent to you via email attachment.

9.Do you compare and rate schools with the CSCI?

CSEE does not use the CSCI to compare or rate schools. It is not a norm-referenced tool. The CSCI has been developed to support learning and school improvement efforts. CSCI reports are given to the School Principal. CSEE considers each school's report to be confidential and will only share a school's CSCI and program work with its permission.

10.What have other schools said about the CSCI?

Schools have found the CSCI to be extremely helpful for many reasons. The CSCI provides reliable information about what the whole school community believes is and is not working. The CSCI provides a sound way to discover whether particular programs are helping. It also reveals importantly differences in perception between different groups. These groups may include students, teachers, parents and administrative staff. In fact, many school leaders who have used the CSCI have been surprised about the type of findings that the CSCI uncovered. To hear school leaders talk about their experience using the CSCI click here.

11.We know what our concerns are. Is it still necessary to take the CSCI?

There are several reasons why it may be very useful to use the CSCI even when you have a good sense of the schools concerns. The CSCI provides scientifically sound methods of gathering data that may confirm or expand your sense of the school's climate. Sometimes a school's sense of its climate may come from listening to only a few of the loudest voices. The CSCI is a way to hear from many voices that may not have been heard previously. Schools have found that the CSCI can help build a case, based on data, for moving ahead on action plans.

The CSCI is also a method for building community. When parents and students complete the CSCI, the school leadership has an opportunity to authentically say to the community "I now understand what you see as our strengths and challenges. I want and need your collaborative support to address barriers to learning as well as to promote the positive social, emotional, ethical and academic skills that provide the foundation for school and life success."

12.We already have a Character Education or Social Emotional Learning programs, Peer Mediation, risk prevention and/or health promotion efforts underway. Can we use the CSCI to evaluate how these efforts are working and/or not working?

Yes. This is one of the major reasons why we developed the CSCI: to support schools being able to evaluate these kinds of efforts in a scientifically sound manner.

13.When we receive the CSCI report, what can we do with it?

CSCI findings can become the springboard for substantive and collaborative school improvement efforts. CSEE has developed a series of suggested "next steps" and school improvement tools to support sustained social, emotional, ethical and academic school improvement.

14.How much does it cost to administer the CSCI and get a report?

We have a variety of options to consider that schools may want to consider. To learn more about these please click here.

15.Where might I get funds to help pay for the CCL Program?

There are a variety of potential fund sources which may include violence prevention, school improvement, evaluation and assessment funds, drop out prevention, anti- bullying grants, and local school monies. The Center for Social and Emotional Education also collaborates with school partners to seek funding support.

16.Who should I contact at CSEE if I am interested in learning more about the CSCI?

Contact CSEE's School Liaison â€“ Darlene Faster dfaster@csee.net or call 212-707-8799, extension 22.