Office of
Research and Evaluation

Each year, the Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) administers the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) Philly School Experience Survey (PSES) to Philadelphia public schools in both the District and Charter sectors. This survey, which is administered to students, parents/guardians, teachers, school support staff, and principals/assistant principals, measures six key topics related to school improvement:

• School Climate – Areas affecting the school environment: school mission and vision, respectful relationships, student safety and support, and challenges to student learning.
• Instructional Environment – Student engagement and how students, parents/guardians, and teachers feel about the quality of teaching and learning at their school.
• School Leadership – How school leaders communicate and implement their school vision, how they manage their responsibilities, and how they perceive their level of autonomy.
• Professional Capacity – How school staff work together, what types of professional development teachers receive, and if teachers feel supported in growing and innovating in their classrooms.
• Family Engagement – How schools reach out to and communicate with parents/guardians, what parents/guardians think about these efforts, and how parents/guardians are getting involved with their child’s education.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – How often issues of race, ethnicity, and culture are addressed in schools, the extent to which all students and staff feel they are valued members of the school community,  how integrated and fair school is for students from different backgrounds, and the extent to which schools promote an anti-racist professional culture.

The Philly School Experience Survey is one of the best tools we have for assessing different perspectives across topics. Your responses each year are also essential measures of progress related to our new Board Goals & Guardrails. For more information, contact the PSES Survey Team at schoolsurveys@philasd.org.