The decision-making process is collaborative, democratic, and involves all stakeholders (e.g., school personnel, students, families, community members) with varied roles and perspectives (e.g., teacher, nurse, social worker, administrator, bus drivers, secretaries, maintenance staff as well as nontraditional student leaders and disempowered parents.

Psychometrically sound quantitative (e.g. survey) and qualitative (e.g. interviews, focus groups) data are used to drive action planning, intervention practices, and program implementation to continuously improve dimensions of school climate. Data are collected regularly to evaluate progress and continue to inform the improvement process.

Improvement goals are tailored to the unique needs of the students and broader school community. These goals are integrated into overall school reform/renewal efforts thereby leveraging school strengths while facilitating the sustainability of the improvement process over time.

Capacity building among school personnel promotes adult learning in teams and/or professional learning communities to promote collective efficacy and staff skills in providing whole child education.

Curriculum, instruction, student supports, and interventions are based on scientific research and grounded in cognitive, social-emotional, and ecological theories of youth development. Interventions include strength-and risk-based practices and programs that together represent a comprehensive continuum of approaches to promote healthy student development and positive learning environments as well as address individual student barriers to learning.

The improvement process strengthens (a) policies and procedures related to learning environments, and (b) operational infrastructure to facilitate data collection, effective planning, implementation, evaluation, and sustainability.