Needs Assessments and School Goals:

A few years ago the leaders in our school district wanted to focus on the importance of a growth mindset for our students, based on all the research about the importance of a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset, so we created a goal of improving our students’ perception of where they fall on the range of growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset.

However, our initial data from our student body (using a tool that measures you on a scale from fixed to growth mindset) was that our student body (thankfully) already identified with over 93% of our students exhibiting a growth mindset.

This informed our school goals (which are supposed to have a positive effect on student performance or well-being). We knew that with most of our students already exhibiting a growth mindset, this intervention would be unlikely to move the needle in regard to student performance or well-being. However, knowing this allowed us to engage in a schoolwide social norms campaign promoting a growth mindset in our students and adults in the building, and especially targeting our students with a fixed mindset. We met our modest goals of our students improving or maintaining there mindset, and for 100% of our students to make it to a a growth vs. fixed mindset. The data helped inform our approach to our goals.

We have done the same process when it comes to schoolwide student sleep habits (while exploring later start time); the performance of boys in the classroom, and making our diversity a strength of our school culture through social norms and street data.

Contact Us if you are interested in exploring how to leverage the best information in order to target school initiatives and utilize social norms!