Thomas Hanson

Overview

Tom Hanson conducts rigorous research on the effectiveness of programs, products, and practices intended to improve child and youth outcomes. With extensive experience in study design, survey measurement, and statistics, he has led numerous randomized controlled trials of programs targeting student well-being, including anti-bullying, school climate, and character education initiatives. His research informs practitioners and policymakers about successful strategies for improving student well-being.

Hanson also directs the California School Climate, Health, and Learning Survey (CalSCHLS) system, which consists of a suite of psychometrically sound student, staff, and parent surveys administered by more than three quarters of California school districts. CalSCHLS was developed in collaboration with the California Department of Education to assess all major domains of school climate and safety, learning engagement, youth strengths and needs, and developmental risk and protective factors at the local, county, and state levels. CalSCHLS provides actionable data to districts, schools, and communities to create more positive, safe, supportive, and engaging learning environments and to promote the social–emotional development and mental health and wellness of all students.

As Vice President of Health, Justice, and Prevention, Hanson helps oversee WestEd’s portfolio of work in community safety, juvenile and adult criminal justice, public health, school climate, social and emotional learning, and student mental and behavioral health. He provides organizational leadership for business development, talent management, and quality assurance for WestEd’s work in these areas. 

Education

• PhD in sociology, University of Wisconsin
• MS in sociology, University of Wisconsin 
• BA in sociology, Old Dominion University

Select Publications

Austin, G., Hanson, T., Bala, N., & Zheng, H. (2022). Student engagement and well-being in California, 2019–21: Results of the Eighteenth Biennial State California Healthy Kids Survey, Grades 7, 9, 11. WestEd 

Hanson, T., & Puckett, L. (2021). Did COVID-related school building closures reduce student tobacco use, marijuana use, and vaping? (CHKS Factsheet #21). WestEd. 

Hanson, T., Zhang, G., Petrosino, A., Dietsch, B., Guckenberg, S., Cerna, R., Zheng, C., & Polik, J. (2021). Randomized impact evaluation of Capturing Kids’ Hearts (Report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice). WestEd. 

Austin, G., Hanson, T., Stern, A., Zhang, G., & Cerna, R. (2020). How are suspensions related to school climate in California middle schools? WestEd. www.wested.org/resources/how-are-suspensionsrelated-to-school-climate 

Mahecha, J., & Hanson, T. (2020). Measurement structure of the California School Climate, Health, and Learning Surveys: Student, staff, and parent surveys. WestEd. calschls.org/docs/measurementstructurecalschls_final.pdf 

Hanson, T., Izu, J., Fronius, T., & Petrosino, A. (2019). Impact evaluation of the No Bully System (Report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice). WestEd. 

Hanson, T., Zhang, G., Cerna, R., Stern, A., & Austin, G. (2019). Understanding the experiences of LGBTQ students in California. WestEd. www.wested.org/resources/lgbtq-students-in-california 

Hanson, T., Polik, J., & Cerna, R. (2017). Short-term impacts of student listening circles on student perceptions of school climate and of their own competencies (REL 2017–210). U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory West.  

Voight, A., & Hanson, T. (2017). How are middle school climate and academic performance related across schools and over time? (REL 2017–212). U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory West.  

Voight, A., Hanson, T., O’Malley, M., & Adekanye, L. (2016). The racial school climate gap: Within-school disparities in students’ experiences of safety, support, and connectedness. American Journal of Community Psychology. 56(3-4):252-67.