Welcoming and Affirming Environment

Students Rubric

Individual Version

Facilitation Guides:
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A Welcoming and Affirming School Environment is where the school community is represented and treated with dignity and respect. The environment ensures all cultural identities are affirmed and valued.

Instructions: Use the guiding questions below to estimate where your school or classes are overall on the progression. Be candid – all responses are combined together so that individual responses are never identified. We recommend spending about 20 minutes completing the rubric. Your ratings and comments will not be saved until you click SUBMIT at the bottom of the page. 

Progression of Engagement

Exploring

Cultural Responsiveness (CR) is in its initial phase

Growing

CR is practiced in some situations

Utilizing

CR is practiced in most situations

Transforming

CR is continuously practiced and promoted

Commitments

Dedication to culturally responsive practices across the school experience

Commitments

School Environment Reflects Students & Community

Guiding Questions:

What do I see in the common areas of my school (outside classrooms, such as displays or posters in the hallway or office) that show my language, and ? Do I see materials that I created myself and that celebrate the identities of myself and all my classmates?
Exploring

Displays in the hallways and common areas (e.g., outside classrooms, in the cafeteria, hallways, libraries, etc.) of my school represent few of the identities of students.

Growing

Displays in the hallways and common areas of my school represent some of the languages, cultures, and identities of students and the community.

Utilizing

Displays in the hallways and common areas of my school represent most of the languages, cultures, and identities of students and the community and are sometimes updated.

Transforming

Displays in the hallways and common areas of my school celebrate all languages, cultures, and identities of students and the community and are regularly updated with student input.

Selected Rating: None
Commitments

Classroom Environment Affirms Students' Identities & Accomplishments

Guiding Questions:

What do I see in my classrooms that shows my language, culture, identities, and accomplishments? Do I see materials that I created myself? Are all of my classmates represented?
Exploring

My classrooms have few things that represent my identity, culture, interests, and accomplishments (e.g., books, displays, student work, etc.).

Growing

My classrooms have some things that represent my identity, culture, interests, and accomplishments.

Utilizing

My classrooms have many things that represent the identities, cultures, interests, and accomplishments of all my classmates.

Transforming

My classrooms have many things that represent the identities, cultures, interests, and accomplishments of all my classmates, and my classrooms are decorated by both teachers and students.

Selected Rating: None

Empowerment

School practices include all voices

Empowerment

Student and Family Input on School & Classroom Culture is Encouraged

Guiding Questions:

How often do my teachers and school ask for my input and feedback about school and classroom culture? Do the school and teachers listen to my feedback and make adjustments accordingly?
Exploring

Teachers rarely (around once per year) ask for my input and feedback about school and classroom culture.

Growing

Teachers sometimes (about 2-3 times per year) ask for my input and feedback about school and classroom culture.

Utilizing

Teachers regularly (about 3+ times per year) ask for my input and feedback about school and classroom culture, and I feel they take my opinions seriously.

Transforming

Teachers regularly (about 3+ times per year) ask for my input and feedback about school and classroom culture, and I see my opinions reflected in the changes teachers make going forward.

Selected Rating: None
Empowerment

School Encourages Linguistic Diversity

Guiding Questions:

What languages can I speak in school? Am I allowed and encouraged to speak my first language? Are there certain classes or spaces (e.g., recess, hallways, group work, talking amongst peers, etc.) where I'm allowed to use any language I want?
Exploring

I am only allowed to use formal English at school.

Growing

I am sometimes allowed to use the language I am most comfortable with at school (e.g., recess, hallways, group work, talking amongst peers, etc.).

Utilizing

I am allowed to use the language I am most comfortable with at school.

Transforming

I am encouraged to use the language I am most comfortable with at school because multiple languages are valued at my school.

Selected Rating: None

Relationships

The quality of connections amongst school community members

Relationships

Students Are Comfortable Discussing Broader Social Issues with Teachers

Guiding Questions:

How do my teachers respond when I try to talk about things that are important to me? How often do teachers take time to listen and talk to me about these issues?
Exploring

When I try to talk about things that are important to me (e.g., home life, local news, global events, etc.), my teachers are not interested.

Growing

When I try to talk about things that are important to me, my teachers sometimes listen.

Utilizing

When I try to talk about things that are important to me, my teachers listen and respond.

Transforming

When I try to talk about things that are important to me, my teachers listen, respond, and make connections to my learning activities.

Selected Rating: None
Relationships

Teachers Foster an Empathetic Environment for Students

Guiding Questions:

Do I feel like my teachers care about me as an individual, not just as a student? What do my teachers do to make me feel that they care about me?
Exploring

I don't feel like my teachers care about me beyond my learning.

Growing

I sometimes feel like my teachers care about me beyond my learning.

Utilizing

I mostly feel like my teachers care about me beyond my learning.

Transforming

I always feel like my teachers care about me beyond my learning and they make efforts to show me they care.

Selected Rating: None
Relationships

School Fosters Strong Relationships Among Students

Guiding Questions:

What opportunities do I have to build relationships with other students during the school day (e.g., homeroom, lunch, group projects, collaborative work time, etc.)? Do teachers and administrators give me time to get to know all of my classmates?
Exploring

I have almost no opportunities to build relationships with my classmates during the school day.

Growing

I have some opportunities to build relationships with my classmates during the school day, but my opportunities are mostly limited to free time (e.g., break, lunch, transition, free periods, etc.).

Utilizing

I have many opportunities to build relationships with my classmates during the school day, both in class and during free time.

Transforming

I have many opportunities to build relationships with my classmates during the school day, both in class and during free time, and the adults make efforts to give me a chance to get to know all my classmates.

Selected Rating: None

Collaboration

The extent of cooperation between and amongst school community members

Collaboration

Student Collaboration in Creating the Physical Classroom Environment

Guiding Questions:

In what ways do my teachers involve me in setting up the physical organization of my classrooms? Are my classrooms set up in a way that works well for all of my classmates?
Exploring

My teachers arrange my classrooms with no input from me.

Growing

I have some input in the arrangement of my classrooms.

Utilizing

I have some input and work together with my teachers to arrange my classrooms.

Transforming

I have some input and work together with my teachers to arrange my classrooms to fit the learning needs of all my classmates.

Selected Rating: None
Collaboration

School Encourages Student Participation in School Activities

Guiding Questions:

How much do I feel encouraged and supported to participate in and plan school-wide activities?
Exploring

I barely participate in school-wide activities (e.g., assemblies, morning announcements, spirit weeks, social events, etc.).

Growing

I feel encouraged to participate in school-wide activities.

Utilizing

I feel encouraged and supported to participate in school-wide activities and am occasionally able to contribute to the planning of school-wide activities.

Transforming

I feel encouraged and supported to participate in school-wide activities and regularly contribute to the planning of school-wide activities.

Selected Rating: None

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