4.5 High Quality School Culture and Environment

The quality of a learning environment sends a subtle but clear message about how much students are valued and what is expected of them. The quality of equipment, the cleanliness and repair of physical facilities, the sense of orderliness, and the ways in which school personnel handle student concerns and behavior all contribute to the quality of a school’s culture and environment. Students also cite the importance of “connectedness”—the willingness and ability of teachers and administrators to relate to and commit themselves to students.