
OUR MISSION, OUR WORK
The center partners with school and community groups to promote a positive, responsive and safe environments for all K-12 students and staff.
One research initiative includes examining perceptions of school climate among marginalized youth.
Another research initiative includes increasing culturally and linguistically diverse school mental health personnel in districts with demonstrated need.
The center also works toward improving teacher well-being and learning literacy in juvenile justice schools.
OUR MISSION
Our center offers educational and outreach initiatives informed by our evolving knowledge of factors and interventions impacting student, family and teacher well-being.
OUR WORK
Current areas of research include assessing protective and risk factors in students’ environments and assessing the quality of services to improve school climate.
Center Goals
Short-Term Goals
Write interdisciplinary research proposals to obtain funds to conduct research in the identified areas
- Hold annual symposiums for faculty, students and the community on topics related to school climate and mental well-being.
- Hold ongoing research meetings among faculty, students and community members with common research interests.
- Accumulate resources and write executive summaries to clarify research findings and research needs in key areas.
- Build relationships with interested schools and community groups.
Long-Term Goals
- Conduct interdisciplinary and international research on school climate and factors contributing to positive outcomes for students from diverse backgrounds.
- Serve as a clearinghouse to disseminate results of research, scholarly activities and related resources to the professional, scholarly and lay public through local, regional and national communities.
- Influence university teaching of topics related to creating safe, positive and supportive school environments.
- Supporting the diverse needs of students in our public schools.
- Provide continuing education on school climate to disseminate the center's research (establish mechanisms for those receiving continuing education to obtain continuing education credits).
Faculty

Kristen Varjas
Associate Dean for Research and Doctoral Studies
Professor in School Psychology Ph.D.
Student Affiliates

Christopher Gardner
School Psychology

Leen Hernandez
Project CARE, MPH
Contact Us
Executive Director
Director
The Center for Research on School Climate
Atlanta, GA 30303