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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 reported in aggregate, and 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.
Cultural Responsiveness (CR) is in its initial phase
CR is practiced in some situations
CR is practiced in most situations
CR is continuously practiced and promoted
Dedication to culturally responsive practices across the school experience
What do I see in the common areas of my school that connect to the languages, cultures, and identities of students and the community? Do I see materials that students created and that celebrate the identities of all students? How often are these displays updated?
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.
Displays in the hallways and common areas of my school represent some of the languages, cultures, and identities of students and the community.
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.
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.
What kinds of things are included in classrooms that reflect students' languages, cultures, and identities? Are there materials that were created by students? What particular attention is given to marginalized students?
There is little visible evidence in classrooms (e.g., books, displays, student work, etc.) that affirms student interests, identities, and/or personal/academic experiences.
There is some visible evidence in classrooms that affirms student interests, identities, and/or personal/academic experiences.
There is a great deal of visible evidence in classrooms that affirms student interests, identities, and/or personal/academic experiences with attention to representing marginalized students.
There is a great deal of co-created and visible evidence in classrooms that affirms student interests, identities, and/or personal/academic experiences with attention to representing marginalized students.
School practices include all voices
When communicating with families, what are some of the ways I attend to their languages, cultures, and identities? To what extent do I use multiple modes (e.g., website, text messages, email, robocalls, flyers, etc.) to ensure I'm reaching all families?
When I communicate with families, I pay limited attention to language, culture, identity, and accessibility.
When I communicate with families, I sometimes attend to language, culture, identity, and accessibility.
When I communicate with families, I attend to language, culture, identity, and accessibility, and I offer multiple modes (e.g., website, text messages, email, robocalls, flyers, etc.).
When I communicate with families, I attend to language, culture, identity, and accessibility, offer multiple modes, and focus on engaging difficult-to-reach families.
What opportunities do I provide to students and families to give input and feedback about school and classroom culture? How do I incorporate their input and feedback to make adjustments?
I rarely (around once per year) offer opportunities for input and feedback about school and classroom culture from students and families.
I sometimes (about 2-3 times per year) offer opportunities for input and feedback about school and classroom culture from students and families.
I regularly (about 3+ times per year) offer opportunities for input and feedback about school and classroom culture from students and families with efforts to include marginalized groups.
I regularly (about 3+ times per year) offer opportunities for input and feedback about school and classroom culture from families and students with efforts to include marginalized groups, and I regularly use the input to inform adjustments going forward.
What is my view about students speaking the language(s) they are comfortable with in class and at school? Are there specific times, spaces, or contexts (e.g., recess, hallways, group work, talking amongst peers, etc.) where students' preferred languages and dialects are more valued?
I expect students to use standard academic English at all times in school.
I sometimes allow students to use the languages and dialects they are most comfortable with at school (e.g., recess, hallways, group work, talking amongst peers, etc.).
I allow students to use the languages and dialects they are most comfortable with at school.
I encourage students to use the languages and dialects they are most comfortable with at school because multiple languages are valued.
The quality of connections amongst school community members
In what ways do I develop relationships with students outside of academic contexts? Do I make an effort to build relationships with all of my students?
Relationship building with students rarely (about 2-3 times per year) extends beyond academic contexts.
I sometimes (about 1-2 times per month) take time to learn about students and their interests outside of academic contexts.
I consistently (around daily) take time to learn about students and their interests outside of academic contexts.
I consistently (around daily) take time to learn about students and their interests outside of academic contexts with particular effort to engage marginalized students.
When students raise sensitive social issues in class, how do I respond? How often do I make space to listen and talk to students about the issues they raise?
When students initiate discussions on important and/or sensitive school or broader social issues (e.g., current events and political issues at the school, local, and global levels), I rarely engage with them.
When students initiate discussions on important and/or sensitive school or broader social issues, I make some space for the discussions.
When students initiate discussions on important and/or sensitive school or broader social issues, I make intentional space for the discussion.
When students initiate discussions on important and/or sensitive school or broader social issues, I make intentional space for the discussion, and I incorporate what we discuss into relevant learning opportunities.
The extent of cooperation amongst school community members
To what extent and in what ways do school leaders involve faculty, staff, and students in setting school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures? To what extent am I empowered to co-create school-wide policies with my colleagues, students, and school leaders so that everyone in the school community embraces these policies?
School leaders set and enforce school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures.
School leaders set and enforce school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures, and leaders ask for my input on these policies.
I work together with school leaders to construct school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures that are transparent.
I work together with school leaders, colleagues, and students to construct school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures that are equitable, transparent, and, when possible, restorative.
In what ways do I involve students in setting up the physical organization of my classrooms? Is my classroom set up in a way that works well for all of my students?
I mainly arrange my classrooms as I think best.
I sometimes arrange my classrooms with student input.
I arrange my classrooms with ongoing student input.
I work together with students to arrange my classrooms to fit the learning needs of all students.
