School climate is set from the top. Use this checklist to reflect on the systems and modeling that make access and belonging schoolwide. It asks whether clear ASL and English norms are established across every setting, whether belonging is built into daily routines rather than one-off events, whether Deaf professionals are involved meaningfully in decisions, and whether leaders model inclusive practice while addressing inconsistency promptly. Use it to reflect on your leadership and drive steady, continuous improvement.
Because of your selected audience type, you may also enjoy the following related resources.
An informational slide deck teams use to build shared understanding of what an exemplary ASL/English school climate looks like in practice; it is not an evaluation tool or checklist.
A reading list you can use to ground school-climate decisions in evidence, covering belonging, identity, peer relationships, and language access for deaf and hard of hearing students.
A reading list staff use to ground school-climate work in evidence, pointing to studies on belonging, Deaf and hard of hearing identity, communication access, and well-being for Deaf and hard of hearing students.