SLQ School Culture and Climate 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best defines 'school culture'?
- The physical appearance of the school building
- The shared values, beliefs, and norms that shape behavior in a school community (Correct answer)
- The demographic composition of the student body
- The number of extracurricular activities offered
Correct answer: The shared values, beliefs, and norms that shape behavior in a school community
School culture refers to the deep, shared values, beliefs, and norms — often unwritten — that guide behavior and decision-making in a school community.
Question 2: A school leader wants to shift from a punitive discipline culture to a restorative one. Which practice most directly supports this goal?
- Increasing the number of suspensions for minor infractions
- Implementing restorative circles and conferences to repair harm and rebuild relationships (Correct answer)
- Eliminating all student consequences
- Hiring additional security staff
Correct answer: Implementing restorative circles and conferences to repair harm and rebuild relationships
Restorative circles and conferences address the harm caused by misbehavior by bringing affected parties together to repair relationships and rebuild community.
Question 3: Which term describes the degree to which students feel safe, respected, and connected to their school community?
- School climate (Correct answer)
- Organizational culture
- Community engagement
- Academic achievement
Correct answer: School climate
School climate refers to students' (and staff's) perceptions of safety, belonging, and the quality of relationships within the school.
Question 4: A school has high staff turnover. Which root cause should a leader investigate first?
- Teacher salary levels only
- School climate and working conditions, including leadership, collaboration, and support (Correct answer)
- Geographic location of the school
- The school's test score ranking
Correct answer: School climate and working conditions, including leadership, collaboration, and support
Research consistently identifies school climate and working conditions — including leadership quality, collaboration opportunities, and support — as primary drivers of teacher retention.
Question 5: Which framework for positive behavior support focuses on teaching and reinforcing expected behaviors rather than only reacting to misbehavior?
- Zero tolerance policy
- Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) (Correct answer)
- In-school suspension
- Behavior modification contracts
Correct answer: Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
PBIS is a proactive framework that explicitly teaches and reinforces expected behaviors, creating a positive school climate through consistent, data-informed practices.
Question 6: Which leader behavior has the most direct positive impact on school culture?
- Strictly enforcing all policies
- Being consistently visible, relational, and celebratory of staff and student achievements (Correct answer)
- Minimizing staff meetings
- Delegating all cultural initiatives to the counseling department
Correct answer: Being consistently visible, relational, and celebratory of staff and student achievements
Principals who are visible, build authentic relationships, and celebrate successes create the conditions for a positive, trust-based school culture.
SLQ School Culture and Climate 1
Which of the following best defines 'school culture'?