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2022-23 School Climate Survey Results

Results are in from the Bethlehem Central School District’s 2022-23 School Climate Survey. More than 3,200 people participated in the survey, including 2,252 students in grades 5-12 from the district’s seven schools. The 72-question survey included responses about school safety, facilities, peer relations, social and emotional support, alcohol and drug use, and school discipline. The 2022-23 survey was open from January 9-20.

“Despite the pandemic, our results over the last several years have been largely consistent and mostly positive. The survey data continue to reflect a student population that has a strong rapport with BC teachers and staff, with students saying they feel safe, supported and engaged at school,” said Superintendent Jody Monroe. “While this information points to the quality of staff we have here at BC and the resiliency of students in general, we are keenly aware of the importance of looking closely at data points or trends within the survey by grade level and demographic subgroups. That is what our administrative team will be working on.”

In addition to the student survey, parents and staff — both instructional and support staff — answered similar surveys during the two-week period in January.  All survey responses can be found below.

Overall:

Student Survey Results by School (Grades 5-12):

If you can not access these PDFs, please contact the BCSD Communications Office at 518-439-3650.

Highlights of the survey responses from each stakeholder group can be found below. For comparison, data from the 2019-20 School Climate Survey (administered in Dec. 2019) and the 2021-22 School Climate Survey (administered in Jan. 2022) is shown after each entry.

Student Survey Highlights

Percentage of individuals responding “Agree” or “Strongly Agree”

  • 89% of students say they feel safe at school (90% – 2019; 86% – 2022)
  • 75% of students say they are happy to be at school (80% – 2019; 81% – 2022)
  • 81% of students say they feel socially accepted (84% – 2019; 82% – 2022)
  • 88% say teachers are available when they need to talk to them (87% – 2019; 90% – 2022)
  • 76% say they are involved in sports, clubs, and other school activities (75% – 2019; 74% – 2022)
  • 89% say they have lots of chances to be part of class discussions or activities (91% – 2019; 90% – 2022)
  • 51% say they believe the school is comfortable all year round (44% – 2019; 48% – 2022)
  • 27% say they know students who use/try alcohol or drugs while at school or school-sponsored events (33% – 2019; 24% – 2022)
  • 39% say they know students at this school who think it is okay to smoke cigarettes or vape (52% – 2019; 39% – 2022)
  • 37% say they know students at this school who think it is okay to get drunk (43% – 2019; 31% – 2022)
  • 36% say they know students at this school who think it is okay to try drugs (46% – 2019; 33% – 2022)
  • 35% say they know students who often spread mean rumors or lies about others at this school on the internet (35% – 2019; 32% – 2022)
  • 55% say students talk about the importance of understanding their own feelings and the feelings of others (52% – 2019; 59% – 2022)

Surveys were administered in Dec. 2019, Jan. 2022 and Jan. 2023. There was no School Climate Survey in the 2020-21 school year.

Staff Survey Highlights – Instructional

Percentage of individuals responding “Agree” or “Strongly Agree”

  • 97% of teachers say they feel safe at school (97% – 2019; 96% – 2022)
  • 97% of teachers say students are encouraged to get involved in extracurricular activities (98% – 2019; 96% – 2022)
  • 90% of teachers say people at this school care about me as a person (92% – 2019; 90% – 2022)
  • 91% of teachers say they feel like they belong (93% – 2019; 90% – 2022)
  • 84% say the school inspires them to do the very best at their jobs (90% – 2019; 86% – 2022)
  • 88% of teachers say they feel responsible to help each other do their best (89% – 2019; 91% – 2022)
  • 85% of teachers say there are adequate programs and resources to support students with special needs or disabilities (88% – 2019; 86% – 2022)
  • 51% of teachers say they think that cyberbullying is a frequent problem among students (47% – 2019; 59% – 2022)

Staff Survey Highlights – Support Staff

Percentage of individuals responding “Agree” or “Strongly Agree”

  • 89% of support staff say the school is an inviting work environment (90% – 2019; 89% – 2022)
  • 91% of support staff say they feel like they belong (81% – 2019; 80% – 2022)
  • 95% of support staff say they feel safe at school (100% – 2019; 95% – 2022)
  • 92% of support staff say staff at their building get along (84% – 2019; 86% – 2022)
  • 84% of support staff say there is a feeling of trust among the staff (77% – 2019; 82% – 2022)
  • 79% of support staff say school rules are applied equally to all students (85% – 2019; 85% – 2022)

Parent Survey Highlights

Percentage of individuals responding “Agree” or “Strongly Agree”

  • 92% say the school notifies parents or guardians effectively in the case of a schoolwide emergency (90% – 2019; 94% – 2022)
  • 94% say the school takes effective measures to ensure the safety of students (92% – 2019; 91% – 2022)
  • 93% of parents say they feel their child is safe at school (93% – 2019; 92% – 2022)
  • 83% say the school encourages them to be an active partner in educating their child (80% – 2019; 80% – 2022)
  • 77% say the school has quality programs for their child’s talents, gifts, or special needs (79% – 2019; 74% – 2022)
  • 84% of parents say staff at the school care about what families think (81% – 2019; 80% – 2022)
  • 50% say they usually hear from the school when their child does something good at school (43% – 2019; 47% – 2022)