“Districts that are looking to measure pupil engagement or school climate might find the [California Healthy Kids] survey useful.”—Christine Swenson, Director, Local Education Systems Support, California Department of Education

WestEd’s California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) is a comprehensive assessment of school climate and student attitudes, behaviors, and supports related to success in school, career, and life available to all California local education agencies.

The indicators assessed by this California Department of Education (CDE)-funded resource include perceived campus safety, school connectedness, and student resilience, violence, victimization, academic mindset and engagement, and social and emotional health and competencies.

These indicators overlap areas that California school districts must report on in their Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs). As such, the survey serves as an important resource for administrators tasked with setting new performance goals required by the new Local Control Funding Formula, according to this Cabinet Report article.

Although the CHKS isn’t required, says CDE’s Christine Swenson quoted in the article, it is available to those who might be struggling with the LCAP mandates. The value of the CHKS for LCAP implementation can be further enhanced by administering its companion school staff and parent surveys, collectively called the California School Climate, Health, and Learning Surveys System (CalSCHLS).

Read the Cabinet Report article, “Wellness Survey Proves a Good Resource for LCAP Needs.”

For more information, download the CalSCHLS guide, Helpful Resources for Local Control and Accountability Plans, 2014-2015.