Scaling up the Student Orientation to School Questionnaire (SOS-Q) in Rocky
View Schools - What we are Learning about Student Affect at the Student,
School and System Levels
SOS Q: SUB-SCALES
UPPER-ELEMENTARY AND JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH
SAFE AND CARING
SCHOOL
Students’ perception of school environment – the academic
and social setting of a school that support the welfare of
students
PEERS
Perceived supports from friends and ability
to get along with peers
SELF-CONFIDENCE
Students’ conviction that they are capable and wellpositioned to be successful at school and beyond
EXTERNAL
RESILIENCE
Perceived ability to cope and adapt successfully in the face
of challenges
INTERNAL
RESILIENCE
Perceived ability to resist anxiety and
maintain internal emotional and mental
balance
SOS Q: SUBSCALES
UNIQUE TO JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH
UTILITY OF SCHOOL
Students’ sense of usefulness of school in relationship to
future opportunities
EXTRACURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES
Student participation in and perceived value of
extra-curricular activities
Individual and Cohort Examination of Student
Orientation to School Using SOS-Q Results
Std
1
Safe/
Caring
Z
Ext.
Resil.
Z
SelfConf
Z
Peers
Z
Int.
Resil.
Z
ExtraCurric
Activ.
Z
Utility
Sch.
Z
Total
Avg
Avg
Z
1.0
-3.9
1.0
-4.6
1.0
-5.1
1.0
-4.9
5.0
2.1
2.5
-1.3
1.0
-4.1
1.5
-5.4
2.3
--2.0
1.3
-4.0
1.0
-5.1
1.25
-4.5
1.0
-2.5
2.1
-2.0
1.0
-4.1
1.6
-5.1
1.9
-2.6
1.8
-3.2
1.2
-4.8
1.3
-4.5
1.5
-2.0
3.0
-0.3
2.5
-2.1
2.0
-4.3
2.2
-2.2
3.36
-0.6
3.5
-1.0
3.6
-0.7
3.5
0.3
3.25
0.2
2.33
-2.4
3.11
-0.9
4
0.5
2.91
-1.4
3.83
-0.5
3.2
-1.4
2.5
-0.8
2.75
-0.8
2.83
-1.7
3.15
-0.9
3.13
-0.8
3.18
-0.9
2.2
-3.1
3.4
-1.0
4.75
1.8
2.88
-0.5
3
-1.5
3.22
-0.9
2.33
-2.0
2.45
-2.2
4.67
0.9
2.8
-2.0
3
-0.3
4.12
1.9
3.33
-1.1
3.24
-0.7
3.4
-0.4
4.55
1.4
4.17
0.0
3.6
-0.7
2
-1.4
2.25
-1.7
3
-1.5
3.28
-0.6
3.47
-0.3
2.9
-1.4
3.33
-1.3
3.8
-0.4
3.5
0.3
2.5
-1.3
3.83
-0.4
3.33
-0.7
3.4
-0.4
3.18
-0.9
3.67
-0.8
3.4
-1.0
3.33
0.1
3.12
0.0
3.5
-0.8
3.37
-0.6
3.4
-0.4
3.64
-0.2
3.5
-1.0
3.2
-1.4
3.25
0.0
3
-0.3
4
-0.1
3.43
-0.5
3.8
0.2
2.91
-1.4
3.83
-0.5
3
-1.7
3.75
0.6
2.88
-0.5
4.17
0.1
3.48
-0.5
4.8
1.7
3.82
0.1
4.67
0.9
4.6
0.9
2.75
-0.5
3.88
1.5
5
1.2
4.22
0.8
4.15
0.7
3.82
0.1
4.83
1.1
4.6
0.9
4.75
1.8
4.12
1.9
3.33
-1.1
4.23
0.8
4.6
1.4
4.09
0.6
4.67
0.9
4.6
0.9
3.25
0.0
3.38
0.5
5
1.2
4.23
0.8
4.86
1.8
4.91
2.0
4.5
0.6
5
1.5
3.33
0.1
2.88
-0.5
5
1.2
4.35
0.9
4.73
1.6
4.55
1.4
4.83
1.1
4.75
1.1
3.25
0.0
3
-0.3
5
1.2
4.30
0.9
4.8
1.7
4
0.4
5
1.4
4.8
1.2
3
-0.3
3.5
0.7
5
1.2
4.30
0.9
4.67
1.5
4.64
1.5
4.67
0.9
4.25
0.3
3.25
0.0
3.88
1.5
5
1.2
4.34
1.0
4.53
1.3
4.27
0.9
4.67
0.9
4.6
0.9
3.5
0.3
4.25
2.2
4.67
0.8
4.36
1.0
4.4
1.1
4.73
1.7
4.67
0.9
5
1.5
3.75
0.6
3.75
1.2
4.83
1.0
4.45
1.1
4.36
1.0
4.36
1.0
4.17
0.0
4.8
1.2
5
2.1
4.75
3.2
4.5
0.5
4.56
1.3
4.4
1.1
4.55
1.4
5
1.4
4.4
0.6
4.75
1.8
4.5
2.7
5
1.2
4.66
1.4
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
`3
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Student SOS-Q Results Compared to National
Norms
SOS -Q Results
5.00
4.50
4.00
Student A
3.50
Nat. Norms
3.00
2.50
2.00
Safe/care
Self-Con
Student raw score
Students z-score
National Norms
Ext. Res
Int Res
Peers
Total
SelfExt
Int
Total
Resil
Resil
Score
Safe/Caring Con
Peers
4.08
3.77
3.86
3.40
4.60
3.93
0.05
-0.90
-0.09
0.48
0.71
0.11
4.05
4.29
3.91
2.97
4.14
3.87
Strengths include: Safe and Caring, Internal Resilience and Peers. Total score is in the average range.
Relative weak constructs compared to the strengths include: Self-Confidence which tends to correlate highly with academic
achievement, and External Resilience.
Recommendation: review results with the student and parents to confirm face validity relative to their perceptions and review
with staff who interact with the student to consider strategies to enhance the student’s self-confidence as a learner. Building skills
regarding handling external challenges may also be beneficial especially if linked to strategies to reinforce the safe and caring
dimension (see the SOS-Q Manual for specific strategies linked to these constructs).
SOS in Various RVS Student Groups:
GRADE (Upper-Elementary)
Student Orientation to School by Grade (Grades 4, 5 and 6; N = 1104)
SOS Average Scores (Max = 5)
4.5
4.0
Grade 4
3.5
Grade 5
Grade 6
3.0
2.5
Safe & Caring
Self-Confidence
Ext Resilience
Int Resilience
Peers
SOS by Socio-Economic Status:
Achievement
by SOS-Q
Student
Profiles
AVERAGE FAMILY
INCOME
(2 RVSCluster
Schools
- JH)
Student Orientation to School by Average Family Income (Grade 7, 8 and 9)
Peers
School Utility
Self-Confidence
Extracurricular
$ 121 - 150 thous
Int Resilience
$ 101 - 120 thous
Ext Resilience
$ 81 - 100 thous
$ 50 - 80 thous
Safe & Caring
2.5
3
3.5
4
SOS-Q Average Scores (Min = 1; Max = 5)
4.5
SOS and Classroom Achievement (Junior-High)
RVS Spring 2014
Grade 7,8 and 9 SOS x Classroom ELA and Math
Safe/
Ext
Math Caring Resil
Int
Resil
Ext
Curr
.641**
.093**
.143**
-.020
.090** .226** .069*
.022
.138**
.000
.004
.000
n.s.
.006
.000
.036
n.s.
.000
923
923
923
923
923
923
923
923
923
923
Pearson
Correlation
.641**
1
.158**
.190**
.073*
.155** .278** .120** -.002 .218**
Sig. (2tailed)
.000
.000
.000
.027
.000
.000
.000
n.s.
.000
N
923
923
923
923
923
923
923
923
923
ELA
Pearson
Correlation
1
SelfCon
Util
SOS
Sch Peers Total
ELA
Sig. (2tailed)
N
Math
923
CONCLUSIONS and IMPLICATIONS
engagement
Distinct data profiles inform student
strategies
Strong staff buy-in over four year pilots
Education
On track as key measure in RVS strategic
Plan
auto
Secure, encrypted on-line versions with
scoring and color coding soon available
to other school authorities
Opportunities for further research?