FORSYTH COUNTY -- Every school in Forsyth County has an above average climate, according to new ratings released Wednesday by the Georgia Department of Education.

Each school in Georgia received a 1-5 score on the 2015 School Climate Star Ratings based on survey results and data from the 2014-15 school year. The 35 local public schools all earned either a 4 or 5, the two highest options.

According to the state education department, school climate refers to the quality and character of school life — the “culture” of a school.

“A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and student learning, which are essential elements for academic success, career-skill improvement and overall quality of life,” said the state department in a news release. “The School Climate Star Rating helps determine whether a school is on the right path to school improvement.”

Five stars represent an excellent school climate and one star represents a school climate most in need of improvement.

These ratings are an informational tool for schools, administrators and parents and do not affect the school’s College and Career Ready Performance Index, or CCRPI, score.

“We are pleased that all 35 schools received a 4 or 5 for their School Climate Star Rating to demonstrate above-average or excellent school culture,” Forsyth County Schools Superintendent Jeff Bearden said.

Of the 13 schools that received a 5-star rating, five are elementary schools, six are middle schools and one is a high school. The district’s virtual school, iAchieve Academy, also received the top rating.

The other 22 schools — 15 elementary, three middle and four high schools — were given 4-star ratings.

A total of 259 out of 2,271 campuses in Georgia received five stars, while 1,013 received four, 660 were given an average rating, 224 were rated below average and 87 were given one star. There were 28 schools that did not receive a rating.