Attributes of a School to Assess in a Review

Physical Facilities:

Size
Location, Accessibility
Scope: Adequacy for All Purposes
Physical Condition and Repair
Cleanliness; Care of the Building
Attractiveness
Display of Student Work and Achievement in the Building
Level of Student Respect for the Physical Facilities

Climate:

Level of Physical Safety
Level of Emotional Safety
Level of Courtesy and Respect
Quality of Student Behavior
Communication in the Building
Relationships among Students: All Students; Sub-Groups (Minorities, Ethnic Groups, Groups Defined by Interest, Neighborhood, Class)
Relationships among Staff: All Staff; Sub-Groups (Teaching Staff, Aides, Building Support Staff, Administration, Teams, Departments, etc.)
Student Morale: All Students; Sub-Groups
Staff Morale: All Staff; Sub-Groups
Parent Morale: All Parents; Sub-Groups

Curriculum:

Curricular Vision and Scope
Coherence, Logic, Sequence
Attunement to District and State Priorities and Standards
Attunement to Local Community and Staff Priorities
Flexibility for Different Levels of Instruction
Opportunities for Depth and Critical Thinking
Opportunities for Students in: Visual and Performing Arts,
Languages and Cultures, Technology, Applied Sciences
Vocational Work and Internships, Athletics and Fitness,
Community Service

Instruction:

Level of Staffing: School-Wide and in Each Area
Caliber of Staffing; Level of Preparation; Teacher Expertise
Investment of Staff; Teacher Passion and Dedication
Quality of Instruction: As a Whole; For each Sub-Group; For Special Education and Marginal Students

Assessment of Success:

Attendance, Retention, Graduation Data
Level of Student Excitement, Investment, Enjoyment in Learning Level of Care, Craftsmanship, Creativity in Student Work Ability of Students to Present Themselves Articulately Performance of Students on School-Based Grades, Tests and Measures
Performance of Students on State or National Standardized Tests Performance of Former Students in Further Schooling and in Life

Administration and Leadership:

Sense of Direction and Vision for the School
Appropriate Allocation of Funding and Resources
Appropriate Use of Staff Time in Addressing Priorities
Level of Support for the School in the Parent Community, Neighborhood or Business Community
Level of Soft Resources: Grants, Partnerships, Networks

Attributes of a Student to Assess in a Review

Physical Health
Emotional Health
Honesty
Integrity
Respect for Others
Kindness
Courtesy
Responsibility
Resourcefulness
Maturity
Social Skills
Confidence in Life
Confidence in School
Excitement in Learning
Creativity
Problem-Solving Ability
Work Ethic
Craftsmanship
Organization of Time
Organization of Materials
Patience
Self-Awareness
Resilience
Sense of Humor
Friendships
Relationships with Peers
Relationships with Adults
Cooperation
Clarity and Focus
Fine Motor Skills
Gross Motor Skills
Strengths and Challenges in:

Reading: All Genres
Writing: Written Mechanics; Written Expression; Different Genres
Math: Concepts; Problem Solving; Computation
Science: Concepts; Factual Knowledge
Social Studies: Concepts; Factual Knowledge
Languages
Research Skills
Technology
Visual Arts
Performing Arts
Athletics
Personal Fitness
Verbal Expression and Presentation

Performance in:

Classroom Settings
Non-Classroom School Settings
Daily Assignments
Long Range Projects
Homework
Classroom-Based Tests and Assessments
Standardized Tests
Formal Presentations

See Ron Berger’s Cooments on the above list.

Tags: