PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS: Enrolling in this course requires the completion of several prerequisite requirements to become a Certified School Culture Advocate through Safe Schools Academy. Details on those prerequisite requirements can be found at www.safeschoolsacademy.org/sca-certification-requirements.

Course description: There is a growing appreciation to improve the quality of students’ entire K12 educational experience, from norms, values, relationships, teaching and learning, civic and social engagement, safety, and overall wellness. This holistic understanding of student life in schools is referred to as school climate and culture. According to the National School Climate Center, positive school climate and culture reduces student absenteeism and dropout rates while increase academic achievement and overall wellness. However, improving districtwide school climate and culture is challenging, as there are a myriad of factors and barriers that prevent students from feeling safe, supported, and welcomed in classrooms and schools.

The purpose of this course is to provide research-based best practices for building a positive school climate and culture. Completing the coursework will provide participants with the necessary tools to create welcoming spaces for underrepresented populations, engage students in civic and social dialogue, and ensure that all students feel safe and supported in school. Participants will analyze school climate and culture through a variety of perspectives, understand the unique needs of individual districts, and identify the systems and structures that prevent all students from succeeding. Participants will learn how to improve school culture through the cultivation of effective stakeholder partnerships, purposeful professional development, and modeling advocacy to student leaders and fellow educators.

Participants will integrate learning from prerequisite courses to highlight the barriers in developing a positive school climate and culture, and they will synthesize strategies for overcoming these challenges. At the end of the course, participants will be required to develop a Capstone Project to implement their new understandings in their classrooms, schools, and districts.

Click here to access the course syllabus.

This is a 3-credit course.*

*Participants taking Drake graduate credit can enroll in a maximum of 12 graduate hours per academic semester.  If you take more than 12 credit hours, not all of your credits will be issued nor will your money be refunded. 

Upcoming sections:
January 26, 2025 - March 29, 2025
May 25, 2025 - July 26, 2025

Course Fees (✉️🏝️🏖️ Postcard Pricedown: $40 OFF License Renewal Credit and 15% OFF Grad Credit now through 11/17/24! Prices automatically applied—NO CODE REQUIRED! ✉️🏝️🏖️):

License Renewal - $285 $165
Para credit - $285 $165
Graduate Credit - $525 $445.50
Audit - $105

If you have questions, check out our FAQ page! You can also email academy@iowasafeschools.org or call 515.381.0588 if you’d prefer to pay by check.

Cancellation/Refund Policy
All course cancellations or requests to change credit type must be received in writing or electronically at least fourteen days prior to the class start date. All refunds requested before this deadline will be subject to a $40 cancellation fee per course credit cancelled. No refunds will be issued on cancellations received after this deadline, however, we can move you to a future session of the same course if possible. Iowa Safe Schools reserves the right to cancel any course in the event of insufficient registration, in which case our Registrar will contact you to make alternative arrangements. Cancelled courses may be rescheduled at a later date.

Minimum Registration Limit
Beginning 8/1/2021, the minimum registration limit for a class will be three (3) registrants. If your registered class does not meet the minimum registration limit one week prior to your course start date, our Registrar will contact you about future transfer options.

Transcripts
Please allow up to two weeks for transcripts to be processed following a course end date. Request your transcripts by going to http://www.safeschoolsacademy.org/transcripts.