CRDC - SCHR: School Characteristics Questions

Dates

Report data from the 2021-22 school year. The data reported should be as of October 1 (or the closest school day to October 1), unless otherwise noted. This is known as a “Fall snapshot.” LEAs should use the same Fall snapshot date to report data in this module.

When to Report Zero (0) and When to Use Blanks (i.e. NULL Values)

Zeroes represent an actual count or number for fields that are applicable to a given school or LEA. Report a zero (“0”) only if the LEA has collected the information and the amount to report for that field is zero. Do not report a “0” for data not collected. Leave a field blank if the LEA does not collect data for that field, if the amount asked is unknown, or if the question does not apply to the LEA.

Not Applicable (NA) and Zero (0) Autofills in Tables

The online tool remembers information that has been entered in other tables and modules and uses that information to fill related tables with either a Not Applicable (NA) code or zero (0) where appropriate. For example, if it is reported that a school does not have any female students who are English learners (EL), then other tables that ask for counts of female students who are EL will be automatically filled with a zero.

Key Definitions

• Alternative school is a public elementary or secondary school that addresses the needs of students that typically cannot be met in a regular school program and is designed to meet the needs of students with academic difficulties, students with discipline problems, or both students with academic difficulties and discipline problems. Alternative education schools may be sited in locations other than a traditional school building such as hospitals, mental health centers, jails, or juvenile detention centers.
• Charter school is a public school that provides free public elementary and/or secondary education to eligible students under a specific charter issued, pursuant to a state charter school law, by an authorized chartering agency/authority and that is designated by such authority to be a public charter school.
• Magnet program or school: A magnet program is a program within a public school that offers a special curriculum capable of attracting substantial numbers of students of different racial/ethnic backgrounds, which may also reduce, prevent, or eliminate minority group isolation. The program may be designed to provide an academic or social focus on a particular theme (e.g., science/math, performing arts, gifted/talented, or non-English language). A public school is considered a magnet school if it operates a magnet program for all students or some students within the school.
• School is an organization authorized by public authority and financed primarily through public funds to provide public education to students. Under this definition, a school: (1) is operated by a public school district, independent charter district or state agency on behalf of the state (or federal government in the case of Bureau of Indian Education and Department of Defense schools); (2) provides instruction for students; (3) has, will have or had one or more students; (4) has, will have or had one or more teachers; (5) has an assigned administrator(s) (principal) responsible to public authority; and (6) receives public funds as its primary support. For purposes of this definition, “public funds” includes federal, state, and local public funds. Schools include public schools that provide half day (50%) or more educational services. Schools may include: alternative; career and technical education; regular; and/or special education schools. These four types of schools may be authorized as a charter school or designated as a magnet school.
• Preschool refers to preschool programs and/or services for children ages 3 through 5.
• Special education school is a public elementary or secondary school that focuses primarily on serving the educational needs of students with disabilities under IDEA or section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Ungraded (UG) refers to a class that is not organized on the basis of age or grade grouping and has no standard grade designation.

Special Instructions

• Alternative schools serve students with academic difficulties, discipline problems, or both, whose needs cannot be met in a traditional classroom setting. These may include students who:
  • Are at risk of academic failure or dropping out of school
  • Have been suspended or expelled or are at risk of being suspended or expelled
  • Are pregnant or parenting
  • Are in dropout recovery or credit recovery
  • Are involved in the juvenile justice system
  • Engage in high levels of health-risk behaviors (e.g., substance use; disordered eating; unsafe sexual practices)
  • Are disruptive or exhibit behavioral or discipline problems
  • Are chronically truant or absent
  • Have health problems that prevent attendance at a regular school
• A school should NOT be classified as an alternative school solely because it is a residential institution. If it serves the general student population and not a specific student group (such as one of the student groups listed above), then a school should be classified on the basis of the curriculum it offers (e.g., special education school).
• Schools that primarily serve children with disabilities should NOT be classified as alternative schools; they should be classified as special education schools. 
• Charter and magnet schools should NOT be classified as alternative schools solely because of their status as charter or magnet schools. If they serve a particular student population, then they may be classified as alternative schools or special education schools.

Instructions:  For all schools and justice facilities regardless of the coronavirus pandemic, this school offered only virtual instruction in which students and teachers were separated by time and/or location, and interaction occurred via computers and/or telecommunications technologies during the regular 2021-22 school year, not including intersession or summer.

• A fully virtual school offers only virtual instruction in which students and teachers are separated by time and/or location, and interaction occurs via computers and/or telecommunication technologies.
• All instruction offered by the school is virtual. This does not exclude students and teachers meeting in person for field trips, school-sponsored social events or assessment purposes. All students receive all instruction virtually.

Category Mapping: N/A

Skip Logic: 

1) Preschool-grade 12, UG

Notes:

1) Schools that answer Yes for SCHR-1. Fully Virtual School Indicator (SCH_VIRT_IND) skip: the COVID-related directional indicators module, the corporal punishment items in the Student Discipline module, the Interscholastic Athletics module, the Restraint and Seclusion module, and the student-owned devices item in the Internet Access and Devices module.

Instructions: For the Fall 2021 snapshot date, for all schools and justice facilities, indicate whether this entity can be characterized as a justice facility.  

A justice facility is a public or private facility that confines pre-adjudicated/pre-convicted individuals, post-adjudicated/post-convicted individuals, or both. Justice facilities include short-term (90 calendar days or less) and long-term (more than 90 calendar days) facilities, such as correctional facilities, detention centers, jails, and prisons. These facilities may confine juveniles (individuals typically under 21 years of age), adults (individuals typically 21 years of age and older), or both. Some states and jurisdictions include individuals younger than age 21 as adults due to statute/legislation and/or justice procedures. For the purposes of the CRDC, only individuals up to 21 years of age who are confined in justice facilities are of interest. For the Fall 2021 snapshot date, indicate whether this entity can be characterized as a justice facility.

Category Mapping:  N/A

Skip Logic: 

1) Preschool-grade 12, UG

Notes:

1) Schools that answer Yes for SCHR-1. Justice Facility Indicator (SCH_JUST_IND) skip all items that are not meant for justice facilities.

Instructions: For the Fall 2021 snapshot date, for all schools and justice facilities, indicate whether this school had at least one student enrolled in each grade in the table. Please select "Yes" or "No" for each grade.

• Students must be counted in the school where they physically and/or remotely attend for more than 50% of the school day.
• Check ungraded if students are not classified by grade. You may check grades and also check ungraded if some students are classified by grade and others are not.

Category Mapping: Grade Levels

Grade Levels: All Grade Levels

Skip Logic: 

1) Preschool-grade 12, UG

Results & Logic:

Instructions: Only for schools/justice facilities that are wholly ungraded, indicate whether the ungraded school has mainly elementary, middle, and/or high school students on the Fall Snapshot date. 

• The information you provide in this table will reduce the number of tables you need to fill out by allowing us to ask you only for information that is most relevant to the students in your school.

• If the school had a combination of mainly middle and high school students or mainly elementary and middle school students, then mark "Yes" for both grade levels.

• If the school had about equal amounts of students in all grades, then mark "Yes" for all three.

Category Mapping: N/A

Skip Logic:

1) Ungraded

2) Only for schools that are wholly ungraded (SCH_GRADE_UG is YES and all other grades are NO)

Instructions:  For all schools and just facilities, preschool - grade 12, UG, indicate whether the school is considered eligible in any of the categories listed based on the Fall Snapshot date. Select "Yes" or "No" for each option.

• Indicate whether the school is considered eligible in any of the categories listed on the Fall Snapshot date. Select "Yes" or "No" for each option.
• For magnet schools and programs, count only programs or schools that have a written mission statement with the explicit aim of preventing minority group isolation. 

Category Mapping:  N/A

Grade Levels:   All Grade Levels

Skip Logic:  

1) Preschool-grade 12, UG

Instructions: Only for Magnet schools, for the Fall Snapshot date, was the entire school population participating in the magnet program at your school?

•     If a school operates a magnet program that has all of the school’s students participate, then select “Yes”.

Category Mapping: N/A

Grade Levels: All Grade Levels

Skip Logic: 

1) Preschool-grade 12, UG

2) SCHR.5.2. School Characteristics: School is a magnet school or a school operating a magnet program within the school (SCH_STATUS_MAGNET is YES)

Instructions:  Only for alternative schools, indicate the type(s) of students the alternative school served based on the Fall Snapshot date.

• If a school serves both students with academic difficulties and students with discipline problems, select "Both".

Category Mapping: N/A

Skip Logic:  

1) Preschool-grade 12, UG

2) SCHR.5.4. School Characteristics: School is an alternative school (SCH_STATUS_ALT is YES)