A MULTILEVEL ANALYSIS OF STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF SCHOOL CLIMATE: THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC RISK FACTORS

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

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