School culture is a system of values, beliefs, and norms that shapes the perceptions and behaviors of school members, contributing to a safe and supportive school environment and supporting students’ development. Although Vietnam has promulgated various policies related to school culture, a theoretically grounded and contextually appropriate framework for assessing school culture in general education schools has not yet been fully systematized. This study employs document analysis and theoretical synthesis, drawing on nine purposively selected sources, including five international sources and four Vietnamese legal and policy documents. The findings highlight the need to distinguish school culture from the related but narrower concept of school climate. Based on the organizational culture model proposed by Schein and Schein (2017), the study proposes a three-layer framework comprising seven standards distributed across the layers of values, norms, and manifestations, together with illustrative criteria and indicators. The proposed framework provides an initial theoretical foundation for educational research and management. Further expert consultation, pilot testing, and assessments of reliability and validity are required before it can be applied as a formal assessment instrument.