A multilevel analysis of student perceptions of school climate: The effect of social and academic risk factors

Abstract

This multilevel study examines the extent to which individual-and school-level variables are predictive of three aspects of students' perceived school climate (order, safety, and discipline; fairness and clarity of school rules; and teacher-student relationship) by using a nationally representative sample. A wide range of social and academic risk factors at the individual level are examined. The results show that individual-level predictors, such as having behavior problems at school, being held back a grade, coming from a single-parent family, parents' education level, gender, and ethnicity (e.g., Hispanic and Asian), play a significant role in student perceptions of school climate. The results suggest that these relationships between the individual-level predictors and students' perceived school climate are fairly robust across schools. School-level variables, such as attending a private or a Catholic school, are also significant predictors of students' perceived climate. Furthermore, the study reveals significant interaction effects among the predictors and provides more accurate interpretations of the findings. C 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.School climate is defined as the character and quality of life within a school that is shaped by its organizational structure, physical environment, instructional practices, interpersonal relationships, and overarching values, objectives, and customs (Cohen, McCabe, Michelli, & Pickeral, 2009). Understanding and examining school climate seems imperative, given the significant amount of research suggesting that positive school climate is associated with various student outcomes, including academic achievement and performance (

Students’ Perceptions of Schooling: The Path to Alternate Education

“…Students reported that adults do not care about, listen to, support, nor respect students (Cornell & Gregory, 2008). Furthermore, when rules were deemed unfair or unclear, the number of problems related to school order, safety, and discipline increased (Fan et al, 2011). Kohn (2004) argued that "we should ask not have we done enough to stamp out this behaviour but how can we transform schools into places that meet students' needs so that students don't lash out in fury" (p. 38).…”

“…School climate refers to the safety, discipline, fairness, warmth, and support of the social and physical environment (Fan, Williams, & Corkin, 2011). Indeed, school climate has been associated with academic achievement, motivation, and performance (Battistich, Solomon, Kim, Watson, & Schaps, 1995;Griffith, 1999;Roeser & Eccles, 1998;Stewart, 2007), and sense of school belonging (Vieno, Perkins, Smith, & Santinello, 2005).…”

Characterization of School Climate Perception in Mexican Middle School Students

“…In the student's particular case, at an academic level, the research findings indicate that school climate perception associates with academic motivation and learning process, affecting school performance, satisfaction and engagement, which can relate to school dropout (Fan, Williams, & Corkin, 2011;Liu & Lu, 2011;Zullig, Collins, Ghani, Patton, Huebner, & Ajamie, 2014). In the psychological aspects, the student's perception of this construct affects the sense of belonging to the school, modulates the association between academic stress and depressive symptoms, and predicts the generation of psychological alterations such as anxiety (Cemalcilar, 2010;Liu & Lu, 2011;Liu, 2012).…”

“…For the familial aspect, research suggests that characteristics such as belong to a family with negative climate at home, to have a single parent or parents with low levels of education, are factors related with a more negative perception of school climate by the student (Fan, Williams, & Corkin, 2011).…”

“…While the students that perceive good teacher-student relationships or a high principal's involvement in school, tend to have better school climate perceptions (Mitchell, Bradshaw, & Leaf, 2010;Fan, Williams, & Corkin, 2011;López de Mesa, Soto, Carvajal, & Urrea, 2013).…”