Att 1_District _School Climate Interview Guide v2

Form Approved

OMB No. 0920-0840

Expiration Date: 07/31/2024

LGBTQ Inclusivity Toolkit Demonstration Project

School Climate Interview Guide

Public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a current valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to CDC/ATSDR Information Collection Review Office, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS D-74, Atlanta, Georgia 30333; ATTN: PRA (0920-0840).

LGBTQ Inclusivity Toolkit Demonstration Project

School Climate Interview Guide

District Staff Interview Guide

Information for Interviewer

DOMAINS TO BE COVERED: This qualitative interview guide will be used to assess district-level LGBTQ inclusivity in the domains of policies, resources and partnerships, practice, professional development, and place (built environment). This guide will also assess the district climate, areas of potential improvement, and areas in which further support from a toolkit would be useful to increase inclusivity and improve the district climate for students with LGBTQ identities. This guide will also be used to assess the extent to which LGBTQ inclusivity work is included in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts.

INTERVIEW LENGTH: The length of the interviews will be determined by the selected domains and the questions within each domain. Domains will be selected based on the interviewee’s role in the district. Interviewees will be asked the core question(s) in each selected domain and based on their answers, they will be asked relevant secondary questions. It is estimated that each interview will last up to one hour, and regardless of the way domains are combined or divided between interviews, no interview will exceed one hour.

Welcome and Overview

Thank you for agreeing to meet with us today. I am ________ and my pronouns are ________. I work for a company called ICF. We are working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) to develop an LGBTQ inclusivity toolkit. LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning. This toolkit contains a district self-assessment to help districts identify gaps in their current inclusivity strategies and it also provides information, resources, and suggestions for districts and schools to strengthen their existing and implement new LGBTQ inclusivity strategies. We are conducting these interviews to learn more about how this toolkit can be most useful to you, and to help you understand your district’s current climate as related to LGBTQ inclusivity.

Participating in the interview today is voluntary. You may receive an invitation to participate in a second interview at a later time as we continue the toolkit evaluation. Participation in the second interview is voluntary and would not be connected to your participation in the first interview.

Before we begin, I would like to review a few points about the interview and confirm whether you would still like to participate. These points are also reflected on the copy of the consent statement that I gave you: 

• This interview is completely voluntary. You do not have to take part in this interview. Whether or not you take part in this project will not affect your job. 

• With your permission, we will audio-record the interview. 

• Your name will not be linked with the notes or audio recording from this interview. No quotes or comments you make will be linked with your name or other personally identifiable information (e.g., your email address) in any way. Your name will not be used in any publications or reports about these interviews. 

• We will only share overall findings from these interviews, and we will protect your identity as a respondent. 

• The information collected in these interviews will be used to help inform the creation of the toolkit and to inform your district about the current climate related to LGBTQ inclusivity.

• You may choose to stop participating in the interview at any time, including skipping certain questions or sections you wish not to answer.

• We expect this interview to take no more than 60 minutes. You will receive a $25 gift card to thank you for participating in this interview. If you decide to stop the interview before we ask all of the questions, you will still receive the gift card.

In order for this process to be useful to your district, it is important that you describe the district climate as it really is, and not how it is “supposed to be.” We would like to learn about all aspects of the district climate as it is now – as well as areas in which changes are being implemented or not – so that we have a basis for comparing changes that occur over time in your district.

Your copy of the consent statement has the contact information for the principal investigator of this evaluation who you can contact if you have any questions about today’s interview. 

Do you agree to participate?  YES  NO 

Do I have your permission to record the interview?  YES NO 

If yes, continue: Thank you.  ***TURN ON RECORDER*** 

Policies

Suggested interview time: 15 minutes

Note to interviewer: If this is the first part of the interview, review the consent statement and ask for permission to record prior to proceeding. If there is one or more new interviewees, review the consent statement before proceeding.  Please ask each of the core questions and select relevant secondary questions based on the respondent’s answers.

In this part of the interview, we’ll ask about how your district implements policies that are designed to establish and maintain a safe and supportive school environments for students with LGBTQ identities. We are not here to judge your district, but to understand how you work in this area and the challenges and successes that you have experienced. Please answer to the best of your ability, and feel free to ask questions at any time.

1. CORE QUESTION: To start with, please give me a short description of the policies that are in place at your district that are designed to create or maintain a safe and supportive school environment for students with LGBTQ identities.

For example:

• Policies that address bullying, discrimination, and/or harassment

• Policies to provide restroom accommodations for students who do not feel comfortable in the restrooms or locker rooms associated with their sex assigned at birth

SECONDARY QUESTION: To what extent do you think these policies help students with LGBTQ identities feel safer at school? Please give specific examples if you can think of any (probe for perceived impact on student wellbeing).

SECONDARY QUESTION: To what extent do you feel that other district staff and administrators support LGBTQ inclusivity policies?

SECONDARY QUESTION: Does your district have a process to review how well the policies are carried out on a day-to-day basis at the school level? If yes, please describe this process.

• Do you think this process is effective? Why or why not?

2. CORE QUESTION: How are administrators guided to disseminate, or share, these policies with schools?

SECONDARY QUESTION: To which school staff are the policies disseminated to from the district level (e.g., administrators, teachers, substitute teachers, counselors, nurses, health or resource center personnel, librarians, sports coaches, janitors, cafeteria staff, etc.)?

SECONDARY QUESTION: How effective do you think the way in which these policies are disseminated to schools and school staff is?

• How could the way the policies are disseminated be improved?

3. CORE QUESTION: What is the process for responding to policy violations or incidences of homophobia/transphobia?

SECONDARY QUESTION: How well do you feel you understand this process? (Probe for staff knowledge of specific process and steps)

• If you have dealt with a policy violation, please describe what happened, leaving out any identifying information of individuals involved.

4. CORE QUESTION: What do you think are the biggest challenges regarding LGBTQ-related policies for your district?

SECONDARY QUESTION: What strategies have been used to overcome barriers?

SECONDARY QUESTION: What tools would help your school further reduce barriers?

Resources and Partnerships

Suggested interview time: 10 minutes

Note to interviewer: If this is the first part of the interview, review the consent statement and ask for permission to record prior to proceeding. If there is one or more new interviewees, review the consent statement before proceeding. Please ask each of the core questions and select relevant secondary questions based on the respondent’s answers.

In this part of the interview, we’ll ask about the extent to which your district uses resources and partnerships to support LGBTQ inclusivity and create a safe and supportive school environment for students with LGBTQ identities. We would like to hear about the types of resources and partnerships you currently have as well as resources and partnerships you hope will be built in the future to further this work. We are also interested in gaps in resources that you think are needed and supports and tools that you think would be useful in this area. Please answer to the best of your ability, and feel free to ask questions at any time. 

1. CORE QUESTION: Please describe any resources available to students with LGBTQ identities. For example:

• Resource people or resources to support students with LGBTQ identities within the district - including mental health services - that specifically address the needs of students with LGBTQ identities

• Referrals to outside organizations that have an LGBTQ focus

2. CORE QUESTION: Please describe how students with LGBTQ identities are connected to supportive services within schools or in the community and the district’s role in this process.

3. CORE QUESTION: To what extent are school staff and administrators expected to be a resource to students with LGBTQ identities, or to any student who just has questions related to this topic?

For example:

• connecting or referring students to supportive services

• answering questions about LGBTQ identities and experiences

4. CORE QUESTION: What kind of partnerships does your district have with outside LGBTQ-related organizations which can provide services to the schools, such as campus activities or professional development?

Practice

Suggested interview time: 15 minutes

Note to interviewer: If this is the first part of the interview, review the consent statement and ask for permission to record prior to proceeding. If there is one or more new interviewees, review the consent statement before proceeding. Please ask each of the core questions and select relevant secondary questions based on the respondent’s answers or role at the school.

In this part of the interview, we’ll ask about the extent to which your district supports the adoption and implementation of practices to support students with LGBTQ identities and to shape a culture of inclusion and respect. We are interested in any actions taken to support schools in establishing clubs or groups designed to support students with LGBTQ identities. We are also interested in the use of inclusive language at the district and school levels. We realize that some of these questions may be about areas where specific actions are not being taken or are in the planning phase. We are not here to judge your district but rather, we are interested in your perspective on what is happening in these areas. Please answer to the best of your ability, and feel free to ask questions at any time. 

1. CORE QUESTION: Please tell me about activities and programs that your district supports schools in implementing that support students with LGBTQ identities.

For example:

• GSAs (Gay-Straight Alliances, or Genders & Sexualities Alliances) or other clubs for students with LGBTQ identities

• Safe Zone program or other program in which trained staff display visual signs (like posters) signaling that they and their classroom or office are welcoming to students with LGBTQ identities

• Other programs tailored to support students with LGBTQ identities

(If the district does not have any activities or programs, or if they are only in a few schools)

SECONDARY QUESTION: What do you think are the reasons why your school does not have (have more of) these kinds of activities or programs?

• What would it take to start (establish more of) these types of activities or programs?

2. CORE QUESTION: What else does the district do to increase inclusion of students with LGBTQ identities in general school activities or programs? For example, are there efforts to increase inclusivity for school dances and events, physical education, or other activities?

SECONDARY QUESTIONS:

• Can students attend school dances and events with a partner of any gender identity?

• What does your district do to ensure that physical education classes and sports programs are welcoming and inclusive for students with LGBTQ identities?

3. CORE QUESTION: Please describe any discussion at the district level about using gender-inclusive language? (i.e., using the term “significant other”, “partner”, or “person you are dating” rather than “husband/wife,” “girlfriend/boyfriend,” etc.)

SECONDARY QUESTION: To what extent is inclusive language being used?

• What is the receptiveness among staff towards learning to use gender inclusive language?

• What are the barriers to using gender inclusive language?

• What would it take to overcome these barriers?

4. CORE QUESTION: Please describe any discussion at the district level about encouraging staff and students to share their pronouns (he/him, she/her, they/them, etc.) and using shared pronouns.

SECONDARY QUESTION: To what extent are shared pronouns being used?

• What is the receptiveness among staff towards sharing and using pronouns?

• What are the barriers to sharing and using pronouns?

• What would it take to overcome these barriers?

Professional Development

Suggested interview time: 10 minutes

Note to interviewer: If this is the first part of the interview, review the consent statement and ask for permission to record prior to proceeding. If there is one or more new interviewees, review the consent statement before proceeding. Please ask each of the core questions and select relevant secondary questions based on the respondent’s answers.

In this section of the interview, we will ask about the extent to which your district provides, supports, or requires district and/or school staff to participate in professional development activities focused on meeting the needs of students with LGBTQ identities. For this discussion, professional development can include training sessions, in-service, webinars, online training modules, resources provided on a website, and other types of professional development that you may describe. Please answer to the best of your ability, and feel free to ask questions at any time.

1. CORE QUESTION: Please describe any professional development opportunities related to LGBTQ inclusivity that are available to staff at the district and school levels.

For example:

• What topics or skills related to LGBTQ inclusivity are addressed through available professional development trainings?

• Are the trainings optional or mandatory?

• How helpful have you found the trainings to be? How could they be more helpful?

• How do you and other staff provide feedback to the school and district about the type of trainings that would be helpful?

SECONDARY QUESTION (ASK AS RELEVANT TO THE TYPE OF STAFF BEING INTERVIEWED): Please tell me some of the details about how the professional development offerings take place:

• How often do the professional development offerings take place?

• How are the trainings promoted?

• What about the trainings are effective, or not effective?

• How well attended are the trainings? What is your observation of how engaged the attendees usually are?

• What kinds of challenges have you seen related to implementing these types of professional development?

• Who determines the training priorities for these types of professional development trainings?

• Are there limits on the amount of time/funding that can go towards professional development trainings at your district?

2. CORE QUESTION: What is the difference between the professional development opportunities related to LGBTQ inclusivity that are offered to district versus school staff?

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Suggested interview time: 5 minutes

Note to interviewer: If this is the first part of the interview, review the consent statement and ask for permission to record prior to proceeding. If there is one or more new interviewees, review the consent statement before proceeding. Please ask each of the core questions and select relevant secondary questions based on the respondent’s answers.

In this part of the interview, we’ll ask about your district’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, and the extent to which your district has included LGBTQ inclusivity efforts in DEI efforts. We are not here to judge your district, but rather, we are interested in your perspective on what is happening in these areas, barriers you are facing in these domains, and types of resources or support that would be useful to overcome these barriers. Please answer to the best of your ability, and feel free to ask questions at any time. 

1. CORE QUESTION: Please tell me about your district’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

2. CORE QUESTION: How does your school’s DEI work include LGBTQ inclusivity work? Please describe how this is done.
   
   

SECONDARY QUESTION: If your DEI work does not include LGBTQ inclusivity work, why do you think that it does not?

Conclusion

Suggested interview time: 5 minutes

1. CORE QUESTION: Thinking about what we’ve talked about today about the work your district has done or wants to do in this area, what kind of resources or support do you think would be most helpful?

2. CORE QUESTION: Is there anything else that you want to make sure to add before we end for today?

School Staff Interview Guide

Information for the Interviewer

DOMAINS TO BE COVERED: This qualitative interview guide will be used to assess school-level lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) inclusivity in the domains of policies, resources and partnerships, practice, professional development, and place (built environment). This guide will also assess the school climate for students with LGBTQ identities, areas of potential improvement, and areas in which further support from a toolkit would be useful to increase inclusivity.

INTERVIEW LENGTH: The length of the interviews will be determined by the selected domains and the questions within each domain. Domains will be selected based on the interviewee’s role at the school. Interviewees will be asked the core question(s) in each selected domain and based on their answers, they will be asked relevant secondary questions. It is estimated that each interview will last up to one hour, and regardless of the way domains are combined or divided between interviews, no interview will exceed one hour.

Welcome and Overview

Thank you for agreeing to meet with us today. I am ________ and my pronouns are ________. I work for a company called ICF. We are working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) to develop an LGBTQ inclusivity toolkit. LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning. This toolkit contains a district self-assessment to help districts identify gaps in their current inclusivity strategies and provides information, resources, and suggestions for districts and schools to strengthen existing and implement new LGBTQ inclusivity strategies. We are conducting these interviews to learn more about how this toolkit can be most useful to you, and to help you understand your school’s current climate as related to LGBTQ inclusivity.

Participating in the interview today is voluntary. You may receive an invitation to participate in a second interview at a later time as we continue the toolkit evaluation. Participation in the second interview is voluntary and would not be connected to your participation in the first interview.

Before we begin, I would like to review a few points about the interview and confirm whether you would still like to participate. These points are also reflected on the copy of the consent statement that I gave you: 

• This interview is completely voluntary. You do not have to take part in this interview. Whether or not you take part in this project will not affect your job or the services your school receives from the district. 

• With your permission, we will audio-record the interview. 

• Your name will not be linked with the notes or audio recording from this interview. No quotes or comments you make will be linked with your name or other personally identifiable information (e.g., your email address) in any way. Your name will not be used in any publications or reports about these interviews. 

• We will only share overall findings from these interviews, and we will protect your identity as a respondent. 

• The information collected in these interviews will be used to help inform the creation of the toolkit and to inform your school about the current climate related to LGBTQ inclusivity.

• You may choose to stop participating in the interview at any time, including skipping certain questions or sections you wish not to answer.

• We expect this interview to take no more than 60 minutes. You will receive a $25 gift card to thank you for participating in this interview. If you decide to stop the interview before we ask all of the questions, you will still receive the gift card. 

In order for this process to be useful to your school, it is important that you describe the school climate as it really is, and not how it is “supposed to be.” We would like to learn about all aspects of the school climate as it is now – as well as areas in which changes are being implemented or not – so that we have a basis for comparing changes that occur over time at your school.

Your copy of the consent statement has the contact information for the principal investigator of this evaluation who you can contact if you have any questions about today’s interview. 

Do you agree to participate?  YES  NO 

Do I have your permission to record the interview?  YES NO 

If yes, continue: Thank you.  ***TURN ON RECORDER*** 

Policies

Suggested interview time: 15 minutes

Note to interviewer: If this is the first part of the interview, review the consent statement and ask for permission to record prior to proceeding. If there is one or more new interviewees, review the consent statement before proceeding.  Please ask each of the core questions and select relevant secondary questions based on the respondent’s answers.

In this part of the interview, we’ll ask about how your district implements policies that are designed to establish and maintain a safe and supportive school environments for students with LGBTQ identities. We are not here to judge your district, but to understand how you work in this area and the challenges and successes that you have experienced. Please answer to the best of your ability, and feel free to ask questions at any time.

1. CORE QUESTION: To start with, please give me a short description of the policies that are in place at your district that are designed to create or maintain a safe and supportive school environment for students with LGBTQ identities.

For example:

• Policies that address bullying, discrimination, and/or harassment

• Policies to provide restroom accommodations for students who do not feel comfortable in the restrooms or locker rooms associated with their sex assigned at birth

SECONDARY QUESTION: To what extent do you think these policies help students with LGBTQ identities feel safer at school? Please give specific examples if you can think of any (probe for perceived impact on student wellbeing).

SECONDARY QUESTION: To what extent do you feel that other district staff and administrators support LGBTQ inclusivity policies?

SECONDARY QUESTION: Does your district have a process to review how well the policies are carried out on a day-to-day basis at the school level? If yes, please describe this process.

• Do you think this process is effective? Why or why not?

2. CORE QUESTION: How are administrators guided to disseminate, or share, these policies with schools?

SECONDARY QUESTION: To which school staff are the policies disseminated to from the district level (e.g., administrators, teachers, substitute teachers, counselors, nurses, health or resource center personnel, librarians, sports coaches, janitors, cafeteria staff, etc.)?

SECONDARY QUESTION: How effective do you think the way in which these policies are disseminated to schools and school staff is?

• How could the way the policies are disseminated be improved?

3. CORE QUESTION: What is the process for responding to policy violations or incidences of bias and discrimination against LGBTQ students?

SECONDARY QUESTION: How well do you feel you understand this process? (Probe for staff knowledge of specific process and steps)

• If you have dealt with a policy violation, please describe what happened, leaving out any identifying information of individuals involved.

4. CORE QUESTION: Please tell me, without using any identifying information, about a time when you had to respond to a policy violation or enforce a policy related to a student with an LGBTQ identity.

Resources and Partnerships

Suggested interview time: 15 minutes

Note to interviewer: If this is the first part of the interview, review the consent statement and ask for permission to record prior to proceeding. If there is one or more new interviewees, review the consent statement before proceeding. Please ask each of the core questions and select relevant secondary questions based on the respondent’s answers.

In this part of the interview, we’ll ask about the extent to which your school uses resources and partnerships to support LGBTQ inclusivity and create a safe and supportive school environment for students with LGBTQ identities. We would like to hear about the types of resources and partnerships you currently have as well as resources and partnerships you hope will be built in the future to further this work. We are also interested in gaps in resources that you think are needed and supports and tools that you think would be useful in this area. Please answer to the best of your ability, and feel free to ask questions at any time. 

1. CORE QUESTION: Please describe any resources available to students with LGBTQ identities. For example:

• Resource people or resources to support students with LGBTQ identities within the school or district, including mental health services—that specifically address the needs of students with LGBTQ identities

• Referrals to outside organizations that have an LGBTQ focus

2. CORE QUESTION: Please describe how students with LGBTQ identities are connected to supportive services at the school or in the community and your role in this process (if you are involved).

3. CORE QUESTION: To what extent are individual school staff and administrators, such as yourself or your peers, expected to be a resource to students regarding LGBTQ inclusivity?

For example:

• connecting or referring students to supportive services

• answering questions about LGBTQ identities and experiences

SECONDARY QUESTION: How comfortable are you talking about LGBTQ-related topics with students, staff, and administrators (including referring students to supportive services)?

• If you have had conversations about LGBTQ identities with students, staff, or administrators, can you tell me how those conversations went (without giving any identifying details)?

• What kind of training and tools would be useful to you in being a resource for students if or when these conversations come up?

4. CORE QUESTION: What kind of partnerships does your school have with outside organizations with an LGBTQ focus that can provide services to the school and to the school staff, such as campus activities or professional development?

(IF INTERVIEWEE IS A TEACHER)
SECONDARY QUESTION: How comfortable are you using lesson plans that include LGBTQ-related information or examples, such as historical events or figures?

5. CORE QUESTION: What resources don't you have right now that you think would be useful in supporting students with LGBTQ identities?

6. CORE QUESTION: What partnerships don't you have right now that you think would be useful in the area of LGBTQ inclusivity?

Practice

Suggested interview time: 15 minutes

Note to interviewer: If this is the first part of the interview, review the consent statement and ask for permission to record prior to proceeding. If there is one or more new interviewees, review the consent statement before proceeding. Please ask each of the core questions and select relevant secondary questions based on the respondent’s answers or role at the school.

In this part of the interview, we’ll ask about the extent to which your school has adopted and implemented practices to support students with LGBTQ identities and to shape a culture of inclusion and respect. We are interested in any actions taken to welcome youth with LGBTQ identities to programs or events that take place at your school, such as clubs or groups designed to support students with LGBTQ identities. We are also interested in the use of inclusive language at your school. We realize that some of these questions may be about areas where specific actions are not being taken or are in the planning phase. We are not here to judge your school but rather, we are interested in your perspective on what is happening in these areas. Please answer to the best of your ability, and feel free to ask questions at any time. 

1. CORE QUESTION: Please tell me about activities and programs that your school has put in place to support students with LGBTQ identities.

For example:

• GSAs (Gay-Straight Alliances, or Genders & Sexualities Alliances) or other clubs for students with LGBTQ identities

• Safe Zone program or other program in which trained staff display visual signs (like posters) signaling that they and their classroom or office are welcoming to students with LGBTQ identities

• Other programs tailored to support students with LGBTQ identities
  
  

SECONDARY QUESTION: How are the supportive activities or programs structured?

For example:

• Frequency of meetings

• Level of attendance

• Student and staff support of the groups

• Type of staff that serve as advisors
  
  

(IF THE SCHOOL DOES NOT HAVE ANY ACTIVITIES OR PROGRAMS)

SECONDARY QUESTION: What do you think are the reasons why your school does not have these kinds of activities or programs?

• What would it take to start these types of activities or programs?

2. CORE QUESTION: What else does your school do to increase inclusion of students with LGBTQ identities in general school activities or programs? For example, are there efforts to increase inclusivity for school dances and events, physical education, or other activities?
   
   

SECONDARY QUESTIONS:

• Can students attend school dances and events with a partner of any gender identity?

• What does your school do to ensure that physical education classes and sports programs are welcoming and inclusive for students with LGBTQ identities?

3. CORE QUESTION: Please describe any discussion at your school about using gender-inclusive language? (i.e., using the term “significant other”, “partner”, or “person you are dating” rather than “husband/wife,” “girlfriend/boyfriend,” etc.)
   
   

SECONDARY QUESTION: To what extent is inclusive language being used?

• What is the receptiveness among staff towards learning to use gender inclusive language?

• What are the barriers to using gender inclusive language?

• What would it take to overcome these barriers?

4. CORE QUESTION: Please describe any discussion at your school about encouraging staff and students to share their pronouns (he/him, she/her, they/them, etc.) and using shared pronouns.
   
   

SECONDARY QUESTION: To what extent are shared pronouns being used?

• What is the receptiveness among staff towards sharing and using pronouns?

• What are the barriers to sharing and using pronouns?

• What would it take to overcome these barriers?
  
  

SECONDARY QUESTION: If there has been a time when a student at your school requested to be referred to as a different gender, or to be called a name that is not consistent with the sex they were assigned at birth, please describe how the request was handled by the school.

Professional Development

Suggested interview time: 5 minutes

Note to interviewer: If this is the first part of the interview, review the consent statement and ask for permission to record prior to proceeding. If there is one or more new interviewees, review the consent statement before proceeding. Please ask each of the core questions and select relevant secondary questions based on the respondent’s answers.

In this section of the interview, we will ask about the extent to which your school provides, supports, or requires opportunities for all staff to participate in professional development activities focused on meeting the needs of students with LGBTQ identities. For this discussion, professional development can include training sessions, in-service, webinars, online training modules, resources provided on a website, and other types of professional development that you may describe. Please answer to the best of your ability, and feel free to ask questions at any time.

1. CORE QUESTION: Please describe any professional development opportunities related to LGBTQ inclusivity that are available to staff in your school or district.

For example:

• Topics or skills related to LGBTQ inclusivity are addressed through available professional development trainings?

• Optional versus mandatory professional development opportunities

• Extent to which current opportunities are helpful or ideas for making trainings more helpful

• Opportunities for staff to provide feedback to the school and district about the type of trainings that would be helpful
  
  

SECONDARY QUESTION: Please tell me some of the details about how the professional development offerings take place:

• Frequency of professional development opportunities

• Strategies for promoting the opportunities, and how effective the promotion strategies are at encouraging staff to attend

• Level of attendance/engagement during the professional development offerings

Place (Built Environment)

Suggested interview time: 5 minutes

Note to interviewer: If this is the first part of the interview, review the consent statement and ask for permission to record prior to proceeding. If there is one or more new interviewees, review the consent statement before proceeding. Please ask each of the core questions and select relevant secondary questions based on the respondent’s answers.

In this section of the interview, we will ask about the extent to which your school has established a physical environment that is inclusive of students with LGBTQ identities. The physical environment, or built environment, is defined as physical space (including classrooms, displays, bathrooms, etc.). We realize that some of these questions may be about areas where specific actions are not being taken at this time or are in the planning phase. We are not here to judge your school on what is currently happening but rather, we are interested in your perspective on what is happening in this area and how your school handles issues that may arise. Please answer to the best of your ability, and feel free to ask questions at any time. 

1. CORE QUESTION: What kinds of visual supports does your school use to let students with LGBTQ identities know that they are welcome?

• For example, posters, rainbow flags, safe space signs, or other visual images and/or phrases that are affirming and inclusive of youth with LGBTQ identities?
  
  

2. CORE QUESTION: What is done on the physical grounds of the school to lower the chances of bullying, or physical assault, not being immediately observed?

• For example, are there regular checks of less observable areas, or cameras?

3. CORE QUESTION: What options are available at your school for students to feel most comfortable changing clothes and using the restroom?

For example:

• Can students select the restrooms and locker rooms in which they feel most comfortable?

• Are single use restrooms and locker rooms available for students to use?

Conclusion

Suggested interview time: 5 minutes

1. CORE QUESTION: Thinking about what we’ve talked about today about the work your school has done or wants to do in this area, what kind of resources or support do you think would be most helpful?

2. CORE QUESTION: Is there anything else that you want to share before we end for today?