LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO

STUDENTS' PERCEPTION OF SCHOOL CLIMATE

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO

THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

IN CANDICACY FOR THE DEGREE OF

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

PROGRAM IN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY

BY

PAULETTE EDWINNA MILLER

CHICAGO, IL

MAY 2008

UMI Number: 3313158

Copyright 2007 by Miller, Paulette Edwinna

All rights reserved.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would first like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for giving me the strength

and the knowledge to complete this process and for surrounding me with so many

supporting and loving people who helped me achieve the goal of completing my

dissertation. I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Martha Ellen Wynne, for her

assistance and direction in writing this dissertation. Her guidance, encouragement, and

constructive suggestions helped me improve my work. I would also like to thank the

other members of my committee, Dr. Anne Marie Ryan and Dr. Beverly Kasper for there

willingness to take on the additional duties of serving on my committee and for their

constructive suggestions pertaining to this dissertation.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to all the students and social

studies teachers who were willing to help with the survey process, which was an integral

part of this study. I would not have survived this process without the technical support

from Laura Swanlund, and I could not have persevered without the love and support of

my friends and family. I thank my mother, C. Etta Rice, my father, Willie Miller and my

sisters and brothers for always believing in me, even when I doubted myself. I also

would like to thank my church family and my co-workers for their prayers and

encouragement throughout this process. I am deeply grateful and blessed to have had all

the love, support, and assistance in reaching this goal.

iii

Dedicated to the memory of

My grandmother, Ida Mae Hickman

" I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians4:13

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iii

LIST OF TABLES viii

ABSTRACT ix

CHAPTER ONE: Introduction 1 The Problem 9 Research Questions 10 Significance of the Study 10

CHAPTER TWO: Literature Review 12 Background of School Climate 12 Definition of Climate 13 School Climate Research 15 Specific Dimensions of School Climate 23 Development of the School Climate Survey 27 Surveying School Climate 28 NASSP School Climate Survey (with modifications) 29 Limitations and Delimitations of the Study 30

CHAPTER THREE: Methodology 31 Participants 31 Instrumentation 32 Validity and Reliability 33 Subscale Definition 35 Data Collection 37 Statistical Treatment of the Data 38

CHAPTER FOUR: Presentation and Analysis of the Data 40

CHAPTER FIVE: Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations 60 Summary 60 Purpose of the Study 60 Summary of the Literature Review 61 Summary of Procedures 62 Conclusions 63 Discussion 65 Recommendations 67

VI

APPENDIX A: LETTERS OF PERMISSION 69

APPENDIX B: CONSENT AND ASSENT FORMS 72

APPENDIX C: SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY 76

BIBLIOGRAPHY 80

VITA 85

vii

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Number of Completed Surveys by Race and Gender 32

2 School Climate Survey: Internal Consistency Estimate of Reliability 35

3 School Climate Survey

Internal Consistency Estimate of Reliability: Current Study 38

4 School Climate Survey Summary Data: All Students 43

5 School Climate Survey Summary Data: White Students 47

6 School Climate Survey Summary Data: Hispanic Students 50

7 School Climate Survey Summary Data: Asian/Pacific Islander Students 52

8 School Climate Survey Summary Data: Black Students 54 9 Statistical Analysis of Ten Subscales Comparing Student's Perceptions

within Different Racial Groups 56

10 Statistical Analysis of Ten Subscales Comparing Achievement Levels 58

11 Statistical Analysis of Ten Subscales Comparing Genders 59

vin

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research was to assess the school climate of a midwestern suburban

high school, from the student's perspective; determine if a difference exists between the

perception of school climate of Black students, White students, Hispanic students, and

Asian/Pacific Islander students; determine if there is a difference in the perception of

school climate between girls and boys; and determine if there is a difference in the

perception of school climate between low average achieving students, average achieving

students, and high average achieving students. The climate was assessed using the

National Association of Secondary School Principals School Climate Survey. Data was

collected from 137 high school seniors who volunteered to participate in this study. An

analysis of the data determined that, in general, students perceive the climate of their

school to be about average on all 10 climate subscales, i.e., student teacher relationships,

security and maintenance, administration, student academic orientation, student

behavioral values, guidance, student-peer relationships, parent and community-school

relationships, instructional management, and student activities. However, there was a

significant difference between black students' perception of the teacher-student

relationships scale of school climate and white students' perception of the teacher-student

relationships, as well as, above average achieving students' perception of the teacher-

student relationships and below average achieving students' perception of teacher-

ix

student relationships. Black students did not perceive the student-teacher relationships as

positively as did white students. This was also true for below average achieving students

and above average achieving students. Below average achieving students did not

perceive teacher-student relationships as positively as above average achieving students.

The data also indicates that when comparing gender perceptions of school climate, they

are similar. These findings suggest that overall; the participants in this study believe that

the climate of their school is about average. However, the significant difference in the

teacher-student relationships, among black students, as compared to the white students

and lower achieving students as compared to high achieving students should be explored.

x

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

Educators continue to search for answers regarding how to improve student

performance (Karpicke, 1996) and overall academic achievement. According to the

annual ranking of educational systems compiled by the Organization for Cooperation and

Development (OECD) in Paris, the American education system is falling behind other

countries in the areas of graduation rates and math and science scores (Lewis, 2005).

According to this report, it appears that our nation's public school students are not

achieving at a similar rate as students in other countries, based on test scores and

graduation rates.

After taking office in 2001, President George Bush was presented with the above

problem. President Bush stated that the mission of educators should be to "build the

mind and character of every child..." ("Executive Summary," 2001, f 1). Due to the

educational concerns related to lack of achievement, primarily among certain "under-

privileged" populations, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was developed. The U.S.

Department of Education reported the following:

The NCLB Act, which reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

of 1965, incorporates the principles and strategies proposed by President Bush.

These include increased accountability for States, school districts, and schools;

greater choice for parents and students, particularly those attending low-

1

2 performing schools; more flexibility for States and local educational agencies

(LEA) in the use of Federal education dollars; and a stronger emphasis on

reading, especially for our youngest children ("Executive Summary," 2001,14).

This act is an attempt to help promote and encourage success for all students.

The way academic achievement was measured in the past has changed, especially with

the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. At one time, educators seemed to

be concerned about students' ability to think critically as a way to measure achievement

(Lewis, 2006a). However, it seems that there has been a shift, and the primary focus is on

standardized test scores (Viadero, 2006). Current school reform movements are being

shaped by the NCLB Act, and districts are being required to use standardized assessments

as the primary measure of school achievement ("Executive Summary," 2001). Also

because of this act, states have been encouraged to develop regulations for their school

districts to determine how school achievement will be measured (using direction from the

NCLB Act). Some school districts require students to pass certain competency

examinations as a way to demonstrate achievement. The students' scores are then used to

show that they are prepared to move to the next grade level, to assist in placing students

in a certain class level, i.e., track, and to show that they are ready to graduate high school

(Viadero, 2006). Again, the emphasis is being placed on the test scores.

Individual schools have been faced with the reality that they need to develop

programs and make curriculum changes in order to help improve test scores of all

students because what they are currently doing is not yielding the results needed. Some

curriculum changes that have been implemented by schools include adding consecutive

English and math classes to students' schedules to provide more exposure and instruction

3 (Lewis, 2006a) and "infusing writing into all classes" (Viadero, 2006, Can do attitude, f^

9)-

For example, a school district in Massachusetts chose to lengthen their academic

year and require incoming freshman, who are falling behind in English and math, to take

a remedial reading class and meet with a remedial math teacher three times a week

(Viadero, 2006). That same district also purchased a program which required staff to

provide sample proficiency tests to 10 grade students. On the sample tests, students

were asked to answer practice questions from previous (old) tests that were designed to

target the students' knowledge gaps (Viadero, 2006). Similar types of academic based

interventions and strategies are being used across the nation as a way of assisting in

improving students' academic achievement. Many school districts have developed and

implemented programs and curriculum changes, as the ones listed above.

Again, the purpose of the laws, requirements, and programs is to improve

academic achievement for all students and increase accountability for school personnel

(Ed.gov, p. 1). Although some academic gains have been report by school districts, it is

also known that there are specific minority groups or sub-groups, i.e., African-American

students, Hispanic students, students with disabilities, students with limited English

proficiency, and students with low socioeconomic status who have consistently been

achieving at a significantly lower rate than their more affluent white counterparts. With

the NCLB Act, the goal is to ensure that no group is left behind. Everyone within all

groups should be achieving at a proficient rate, which is not occurring.

Even after the above efforts have been made regarding curriculum changes and

implementing academic interventions, there are still a number of schools who have

4 shown minimal academic gains within those sub-groups mentioned above (after five

years' time) (Lewis, 2006b). Teachers report that one reason for the lack of progress is

that students are so far behind that it is impossible for them to make the amount of

progress per year that the law requires (Lewis, 2006a). Because of this concern, the trend

seems to be moving towards providing more support to those students who are "within

reach" of the target in hopes that their scores will rise, instead of focusing on those

students who-are significantly below target (Lewis, 2006a).

Even though some studies report that no progress is being made, there have been

other studies that indicate "some improvement" in student achievement since 1992,

"especially with those students who started the furthest behind" (Olson, 2006, ^ 3).

However, those studies report that progress has been slow (Olson, 2006). There have

been gains in two of the primary subgroups, African-American students and Hispanic

students, but the two or more year "achievement gap" between these students and their

white peers still exists, which motivated educators to explore other factors that could

contribute to students' limited academic achievement (Olson, 2006).

Cuban (as cited in Garber, 2002) identifies factors that have been traditionally

known to impact academic achievement. He said that "the most popular explanations for

low achievement" among students, typically identify problems in the children or their

families. Those explanations include poverty, low skills, and a lack of guidance, which is

sometimes observed among students from low-income households and certain ethnic

groups (i.e., African-American and Hispanic). These groups are viewed as "potentially at

risk for school failure" (Murdock, 1999). It is a fact that many students who are

identified as "at-risk," come from environments that are less than desirable (Murdock,

5 1999). They may not feel connected to their families, supported by their families, or

safe when they are with their families. Because of this, school personnel are becoming

responsible for meeting those needs within the school environment. School personnel

can no longer take the position that they are only required to teach the three R's, reading,

writing, and arithmetic (Dodd, 2000).

Dodd addressed the above view by referring to Abraham Maslow's needs

hierarchy, which explains that people's basic needs must be met first, before any other

progress can be made towards personal growth (Dodd, 2000). "Students, therefore, aren't

likely to be motivated to learn unless lower-level needs are met" (Dodd, 2000, Making

Schools Safe, f 4). According to Maslow, before we can address Cognitive

needs/knowledge with students, Esteem needs, Belongingness and Love needs, Safety

needs, and Physiological needs must be met first. Students should feel that they have

approval and recognition, are accepted, and feel secure by the adults around them, which

include the school staff. Haynes noted

Poor school adjustment and school failure are often incorrectly interpreted as

manifestation to cognitive ineptitude, deviant value systems and inadequate

development. The complex interpersonal interactions which occur within schools

that significantly influence students' adjustment and performance are not

sufficiently examined (Haynes, Emmons, & Ben-Avie, 1997, p. 322).

As reported above, many changes have been made in schools to assist with

addressing the concerns related to the lack of academic achievement among "at risk

groups." Because limited progress has been made, teachers and administrators are

6 searching for other ways to assist these groups. Educators continue to search for more

answers (Dodd, 2000).

According to research, there are other factors related to students' social/emotional

needs that appear to have an impact on academic achievement (Gottfredson & Hollifield,

1988; see also Freiberg, 1988). Many educators are now committing more time not only

to developing academically driven programs to help improve academic achievement, but

they have also been dedicated to developing programs that address the social/emotional

needs of students (Anonymous, 2006). The concern is, "educators often overlook the

importance of students' emotions when they implement high standards for learning and

try to increase test scores" (Dodd, 2000, Making Schools Safe, f 3). Peterson and Skiba

(2001) "hypothesized that comfortable and supportive feelings will support effective and

efficient learning and teaching, as well as, positive student behaviors and attitudes," e.g.,

behaviors related to being more invested in school. However, "concern, fear, frustration,

and loneliness will negatively affect learning and behavior" (p. 167).

According to Dodd (2000) and Buckley, Storino, and Sebastiani (2003), it is very

important to assess students' perception of the atmosphere of the school in order to gather

information to determine the unique needs of the specific student groups and address

some of the social/emotional concerns. "If school is a comfortable and welcoming place

where students can be successful, students are more likely to learn because they want to

learn" (Dodd, 2000, Making Schools Safe, If 4).

At the University of Washington, researchers collected survey data from students,

parents, and teachers regarding the social and behavioral skills of 576 pupils in the 7

grade. The information was used to establish a benchmark. That data was then compared

7 to those same students' standardized test scores in the 10* grade. In this study,

evidence was found to support the idea that "schools can encourage academic

improvement in students with programs that help develop their social, emotional and

decision-making skills" (Anonymous, 2006, Targeting student, Tf 1). In this study,

"students with the best soft skills-and those who saw school as fun-scored higher" on the

standardized test than their peers (Anonymous, 2006, Targeting student, f^ 2). Charles B.

Fleming, a research analyst stated, "students who thus feel less connected or bonded to

the school are likely to learn less and perform poorly" (Anonymous, 2006, Targeting

student, f 2).

Again, educators not only need to be concerned with the traditional explanations

for low achievement, but there should also be some concern regarding the "role of the

school climate or the status of the school" on achievement, as well (Garber, 2002, p. 4).

As early as 1974, Johnson stated, "all learning has affective components" (p. 99). These

affective components are part of the school climate. Much effort has been put forth in

the schools in developing academically based programs, providing incentives, and

increasing opportunity to improve study skills/habits. However, other variables related to

school climate, (i.e., teacher/student interactions, school connectedness, etc.) that

research has identified as affecting achievement, must be considered, explored, and

assessed in order to assist with improving academic achievement.

The topic of school climate has been studied for many years, but it has primarily

been investigated from the adults' perspective (administrators and teachers), focusing on

job satisfaction (Freiberg, 1998). The goal of this research is to gather information from

high school students regarding their perceptions of the climate of their school. High

8 school students are a valid source of information regarding their own experiences

(Freiberg, 1998). Therefore, investigating school climate from the students' perspective is

essential in gathering information regarding the status of the school.

It is also important to identify how different groups of students, i.e., groups based

on race/ethnicity, gender, and grade point average, feel about their school in order to

address their specific needs. Historically, low-income students, who are primarily from

African-American and Hispanic heritage, continue to struggle to meet state standards

(AYP) and continue to be at least two grade levels below their "more affluent and white

peers." Traditional methods have proven to show minimal improvement; therefore, it is

important to assess other areas, such as, school climate and how it may impact learning

(Olson, 2006,14).

Studies have shown that "students' affective responses to school experiences

influence behavior," related to their overall investment in school (Johnson, 1974, p. 99).

It is, therefore, important to assess how these "at-risk" groups feel about school compared

to how other students, in other groups, feel about school. Information from different

groups of students will be important in assisting with assessing the climate of the school.

According to Hudley, Daoud, Polanco, Wright-Castro, and Hershberg (2003), two

elements of school climate which are essential for improving student achievement and

decreasing school drop out rates are teacher support and cultural sensitivity. Here,

teacher support is defined as being respectful, nurturing, having high expectations and

conveying a personal interest in students. A question that is unaddressed in the literature

is whether or not various ethnic groups feel supported by teachers and feel that others in

9 their school are culturally sensitive. The first part of this question regarding teacher

support could be addressed by assessing school climate.

No single factor determines school climate, but the "climate characteristics affect

the morale, productivity and satisfaction of persons involved in an organization"

(Gonder, 1994, p. 11). Also, no single factor is identified as the sole reason for a school

achieving success or becoming effective" (Freiberg, 1998). However, studies have

shown that school climate affects achievement. When a healthy school climate is

established and maintained, effective teaching and learning take place (Freiberg, 1998).

".. .We have often overlooked how integrated these two processes-improving school

climate and increasing student achievement-must be. Focusing on one to the exclusion of

the other will likely guarantee failure" (Dodd, 2000, Leading the Way, f 1).

The Problem

Research has shown that school climate is positively related to academics.

Currently, educators are interested in assessing school climate and knowing how students

are impacted by that climate (Karpicke & Murphy, 1996). It is possible that the changes

in behavior and lack of investment in school among many students are impacted by how

they perceive their school and their school experiences.

This study will analyze high school seniors' perception of school climate; explore

the relationship among their perception of school climate and academic achievement as

measured by G.P.A. (Hagborg, 1992); and examine how their perception of school

climate may vary across ethnicity and gender. All information was gathered from seniors

who attended a public high school.

10 Research Questions

How do seniors attending a midwestern suburban high school, perceive school

climate as measured by the National Association of Secondary School Principals

(NASSP) School Climate Survey?

A. What are the high school students' perceptions of school climate

compared to the NASSP Comprehensive Assessment of School

Environments (CASE) national norms?

B. How do Black students, Hispanic students, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and

White students perceive school climate compared to NASSP CASE

national norms?

C. Are there differences in perception of school climate among racial groups?

D. Do gender and academic achievement impact students' perceptions of

school climate?

The following categories will be used in this research to identify the students'

race/ethnicity: Black, White, Hispanic, and Asia/Pacific Islander. On the school

enrollment forms, parents identified their son or daughter as belonging to one of the

above race/ethnic groups.

Significance of the Study

There are several reasons why the study of students' perception of school climate

is important.

1. Information from this study may provide a baseline for more comprehensive

evaluations of the school's environment. Programs and interventions can be developed to

11

address the needs, if any, identified from this study. After implementing programs,

students can be surveyed again to determine if any changes have occurred.

2. The awareness gained from this study may assist high school staff in

developing different intervention techniques to better assist at-risk groups of students. If

groups do not differ, then this information is important in providing support that current

programs maybe effective i.e., interventions should continue and similar programs and

interventions should be developed.

3. This research could provide insight to educators regarding how different

groups of students perceive their school, as well as provide information about the

students' overall school experience.

4. This research could identify which areas are lower than desired, so that

programs can be developed to improve school climate in the identified area.

CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW

Educators have written volumes of information and conducted numerous studies

related to school climate concerns. This review will include the research that is pertinent

to the population chosen, the school climate survey used, and the school climate factors

addressed.

Background of School Climate

The topic of social climate has been studied for years. It was first introduced in

the business world to assess the work environment; however, researchers used the term

organizational climate instead of "work environment" (Conley & Muncey, 1999, p. 103).

The original studies of organizational climate were specific in addressing the needs

identified in the work environment of business firms (Conley & Muncey, 1999).

Researchers viewed "organizational climate as a characteristic of the entire organization"

(Hoy & Feldman, 1999, p. 84). These authors identified key features of organizational

climate. Climate was viewed as the following: "based on collective perceptions of

members, arising from routine organizational practices that are important to the

organization and its members, and influencing its members' behaviors and attitudes" (p.

84). At that time, schools were not being viewed as work organizations, and studies

related to schools were limited.

Educators eventually took the business definition of organizational climate and

12

13 determined that it could be used to address the work environment of the school

(Conley & Muncey, 1999). Schools are now being viewed as work organizations, and

researchers are interested in learning how to "enhance the performance and goal

achievement of schools as work organizations" (Conley & Muncey, 1999, p. 103).

Definition of Climate

The definition of school climate used by researchers varies to some degree

depending on some theoretical and philosophical views. However, there are main factors

that seem somewhat consistent. When studying school climate issues, it was discovered

that culture is often used synonymously with climate (Deal, 1993). Although the

definition of climate and culture seems to overlap, there are researchers who have made

distinctions between the two.

Freiberg (1999) agreed with Ashforth's (1985) regarding his definition of climate

and culture. He says that "culture is the shared assumptions, values, and norms" (85).

Stolp and Smith (1990) go further to say that culture also includes beliefs, ceremonies,

rituals, traditions, and myths (understood in varying degrees) by key stakeholders, i.e.,

students staff, parents, and community members. Gonder (1994) says that according to

expert, Terrence Deal of Vanderbilt University, "climate refers to the short-term,

malleable aspects of the school's physical and psychological environment, and culture

refers to the long-term deeply embedded beliefs of an organization" (p. 6). He went

further to explain culture as the "feel of a school, its myths and its moral code" (Gonder,

1994, p. 6). Deal and Peterson (1994) state that culture is defined as an identified group

of principals and expectations that forms how students and staff believe, what they

experience, and how they behave.

14 Schein, a professor from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, states that "the

term culture should be reserved for the deeper level of basic assumptions and beliefs that

are shared by members of an organization that operate unconsciously and that is defined

as a basic taken-for-granted fashion" (Gonder, 1994, p. 13). The concept of culture is

also complex and difficult to define; however, researchers have agreed that there are

basic attributes that are used to define culture.

They are as follows: observed behavioral regularities when people interact, i.e.,

language, customs, traditions, and rituals; group norms that evolve into working

groups or subcultures; espoused values, i.e., product quality; formal philosophy;

rules of the game (the way we do things around here); climate (the feeling that is

conveyed in a group based on interactions and the physical layout of the structure

of the meeting); embedded skills that are passed on from generation to generation

without being written anywhere; habits of thinking; mental models and linguistic

paradigms that are taught to new members; meanings shared by subcultures and

the members of the organization; "root metaphors" or the integration of symbols

through ideas, feelings, and images that groups develop to characterize

themselves, but that they may not specifically appreciate, and are exhibited

through classroom layout and other material artifacts (Schein, 1992).

As indicated above, school climate is one component or aspect used when

defining culture. It is viewed as the mind set of the school, and it is used to help shape

the schools' culture. In this instance, climate is defined as the visible personality of the

school that contributes to variation in students (Anderson, 1982). There are assessment

tools available to help with gathering data related to school climate, and there are specific

15 categories or main factors that researchers have agreed that help define school climate.

It was determined that focusing on school climate and not school culture is more

appropriate for this research (as an initial step).

School Climate Research

Halpin and Croft were among the first researchers to take on the complex .task of

studying school climate (Halpin, 1966). They defined school climate as the "personality

of the school" (Halpin, 1966, p. 131). Educators took that definition and broadened it so

that it not only addressed the school's atmosphere, but it also provided information about

the issues of achievement in schools. Peterson and Skiba (2001) defined school climate

as the "feelings that students and staff have about the school environment over a period

of time" (p. 167). They indicated that school climate is impacted by how comfortable

students and staff feel, and if they feel that the atmosphere is one that promotes "support

for learning, organization and safety" (Peterson & Skiba, 2001, p. 167).

Emmons (1993) also states that when assessing and/or defining school climate

more emphasis is now being placed on determining the quality and frequency of adult

and student interactions and how the interactions impact's the students' cognitive, social,

and psychological development. Researchers are interested in the students' and

teachers' perceptions of their school, when assessing the climate (Kuperminc,

Leadbeater, Emmons, & Blatt, 1997). Kuperminc et al. stress the idea that perceptions

are essential in understanding students' efforts to adjust to their environment. These

researchers' point of view is embedded in the social-ecological developmental theories

which stress the need for positive home, community, and school environments when

addressing the development of adolescence.

16 According to research provided by the National Association of Secondary

School Principals (NASSP), Soberanis reviewed 500 studies between 1962 and 1983, and

27 different definitions of school climate were identified (Halderson, Kelley, Keefe, &

Berge, 1989). In the same research, it was reported that Soberanis found that most

definitions did not "consider the interactions between and among societal variables and

individual or shared perceptions of these variables" (Halderson et al., 1989, p. 1). Miller

reported in 1983 that the focus was on only the adults' perceptions regarding their job

satisfaction (Halderson et al., 1989).

It seems that researchers are becoming more interested in the perceptions of

societal variables than they did in the past. However, as mentioned earlier, most studies

seem to focus only on the adults' (staff members") perceptions in the schools as related to

their job satisfaction. Studying the perceptions of staff in schools is an important factor

but not the major component when assessing school climate (Halderson et al., 1989).

Halderson et al. (1989) state that "job satisfaction is presented as an important input

variable to be monitored, but not as a primary outcome which determines whether a

school is effective" (p. 1). Students' opinions must be a focus as well.

Although there have been many variations of the definition of school climate used

over the years, researchers agree that obtaining a positive climate is the main goal. Hoy,

Tarter, and Kohkanys (1991) seem to have captured the essence of school climate and

achievement by focusing on what they identified as the "health" of the school. Hoy and

Feldman believe that a "healthy school was one that had high institutional integrity, high

consideration and initiating structure, high influence, high academics, high resource

17 support, and high morale" (Freiberg, 1999, p. 91-92). They went further to say that

"trust, commitment, cooperation, loyalty, and teamwork are the hallmarks of a healthy

school" (Freiberg, 1999, p. 99). Halderson et al. (1989) state that climate should be

viewed as a "mediating variable which may influence, for better or worse, the levels of

satisfaction and student productivity achieved in the school" (p. 1-2). However, he also

supports the fact that the "use of outcome based measures has become acceptable among

educators," as well (Halderson et al , 1989, p. 37).

Slaughter-Defoe, Carlson, and Glinert (1996) studied school climate from the

perspective of 1260 African-American and Latino children (3rd-5th graders). The students

participated in an evaluation of the Comer's Process, which is a school development

program that focused on establishing collaborative partnerships between schools and

families. An adapted version of the School Climate Questionnaire developed by Habib,

Anson, Cook, Clifford, and Antonio in 1993 (Slaughter-Defoe et al., 1996) was used to

asses the students' perceptions of their school climate. Those students in the Comer

schools reported positive perceptions about their school climate. The above program was

used to address school reform, and it focused on establishing a "climate of trust, mutual

respect, cooperation, and collaboration between children, teachers, and parents"

(Slaughter-Defoe et al., 1996, Introduction f 6). The goal was for students to feel safe,

supported, and more connected to school, teachers, and peers (Slaughter-Defoe et al.,

1996).

Although only 176 of the original 1260 students participated in the final study,

there were important findings that resulted from this study, which are helpful for

educators to know: students in the Comer schools reported positive perceptions about

18 their school climate, which appeared to be due to the effort made to develop

partnerships with families. This provides support for the importance of including parents

as key players in students' learning.

Although, the importance of parent or family involvement is highlighted in this

study, it is not viewed as most important to all students. There were additional

relationships discovered in this study that should be noted as well. African-American

students viewed teacher-student interactions as the most important component of school

climate. Latino children viewed teacher fairness, moral order, and caring and praise as

most important. Responses from both groups stress the need for personalization. It seems

that both groups benefit from the positive interactions and relationships with adults, both

parents and staff. Ladson-Billings (1997) indicated that teachers should not just know

the content area, but they should know how knowledge is taught and how to develop and

sustain interpersonal relationships with the students. She stated that "effective

pedagogical practice involves in-depth knowledge of students as well as subject matter"

(p. 704).

In 1981, Comer completed a study on the Brennan school in New Haven,

Connecticut using the School Development Program explained above. He found

improvement in student behavior, attendance, and academic achievement, specifically

within the "at-risk" groups. He continued to conduct similar studies in other settings with

other researchers, i.e., Hayne and Hamilton-Lee, and obtained similar results. Along with

increased overall performance, students also responded favorably to their classroom

environments (Comer, Haynes, & Jamilton-Lee, 1987). These results led Comer et al. to

19 conclude that "for black children in particular, school climate plays a significant role in

their adjustment to school and the ability to perform well" (p. 199).

Monica Brown, Kyle Higgins, Tom Pierce, Eunsook Hong, and Collen Thoma

(2003) found that overall, students from diverse ethnic and linguistic groups do not feel

as connected to their school as other students. Hispanic students were reported feeling

less connected to their school than middle class or White students. This is thought to be

because they feel a sense of separation from the norms and values established by the

educational institution (Delgado-Gaitan, 1988). After assessing other demographics, it

was also noted that these feelings were found to be true among male students as well.

The above researchers (Brown et al., 2003) reported that groups from diverse

ethnic groups and male students, in general, are all at-risk for developing feelings of

rejection and alienation from school, which is a component of school climate. Maureen

Buckley, Meri Storino, and Ann Marie Sebastiani (2003) found significant gender

differences in their school climate study. They stated that "boys may be uniquely at-risk

when considering perceptions of school climate and academic success" (p. 5). Boys'

perception of school climate was more negative than the girls' perceptions. Their

findings also provided support that school climate is very important to the academic

achievement of middle school boys. The boys in their study were less likely than girls to

report that staff was supportive and that their school was safe.

Results of the research showed that middle school boys' perceptions of school

climate predicted twice as much variance in grade point average (G.P.A) as it did for

girls. For all groups, which included boys, girls, White students, and Latino Students, "a

positive relationship existed between G.P.A. and self-assessment of the school

environment as supportive," (Buckley et al., 2003, p. 4). It is suggested in literature

that race, gender, age, and class all "have a substantial effect on the ways in which

children negotiate their personal positions in the relationship between academic

achievement, school cultures, and home/peer cultures" (Whitelaw, Milosevic, & Daniels,

2000, p. 97).

Another example of the need for personalization in schools was demonstrated

with a high school in Huntington, California. The school began experiencing an increase

in violence and inappropriate behaviors displayed by students. The staff decided to try to

change their school climate by personally getting to know the students in order to try to

assess some of the need. They developed the "Adopt-a-Kid" program. The teachers

made a list of students who were identified as "needing help" and those who were not

expected to graduate, based on past and present performance. Those students were

assigned a staff member who they met with weekly. At the quarter, students were given

awards/certificates for making progress and meeting expectations or short-term goals. A

bi-weekly student forum was also developed, so that students had a place to discuss their

needs. At the same time, a non-violence campaign was organized that was separate from

the Adopt-a Kid program, and students wore green ribbons every week to promote non-

violence.

Although specific gains were not reported, the assistant principal of the school

indicated that some gains were made in the overall climate of the school. The results of

these interventions were as follows: only one expulsion during the 1992-1993 school

year, the lowest rate in the entire district; grade point averages of 51% of the participants

improved; test scores increased; and the number of students on the "at-risk" student list

21 decreased (Shore, 1995). Based on this research, it seems that if educators begin to

assess the students' perception of school climate, and work to improve the attitudes that

are influenced by the perceptions of the climate, then positive changes and increased

productivity will begin to occur (Jorde-Bloom, 1987).

It is important to gather information regarding what students experiences are

within the school environment, in order to provide insight regarding the effectiveness of

established programs and changes that may need to occur. Having the knowledge of

students' "perceptions can reinforce our understanding of what students need" (Garber,

2002, p. 20).

The ultimate goal is to have an effective school. Assessing school climate is an

important step in determining how effective or ineffective a school may be perceived.

Educational research supports the notion of using school climate measures as predictors

of school effectiveness (Witcher, 1993). There are many researchers who studied this

topic of effective schools and identified major components that would make a school

effective.

Edmonds (1979) identified operational characteristics of an effective school.

They are as follows: strong instructional leadership; a clear and focused mission, a

climate of high expectations for success for all students; a safe, orderly environment; the

opportunity to learn and adequate time spent on academic tasks; frequent monitoring of

student progress and positive home-school relations. Gonder (1994) also identified

several characteristics of an effective school. They indicated that an effective school has

the following components: "high expectation of students, student centeredness, safe and

disciplined school, orderly atmosphere, focused mission, coherent plan, teacher efficacy,

22 frequent monitoring of progress, rewards and incentives for teachers and students,

positive physical environment, low sense of futility, and community support" (p. 80 ).

Freiberg and Stein (1999) created a database with statistical findings, analyzed the

information, and identified 28 categories of learning influences that impact school

effectiveness. The top ten were as follows: classroom management, metacognitive and

cognitive processes, home environment, parental support, student-teacher social

interactions, social behavior attributes, motivational affective attributes, peer group,

quality of instruction, school culture, and climate.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals narrowed their list

down to 5 components that are identified in an effective school. According to the

information provided by NASSP in the CASE technical manual, an effective and/or

successful school has the following components:

clearly stated goals and a high degree of consensus among

participants/ groups

shared expectations that all persons can attain

an orderly environment

strong leadership with regard to both norm-forming behaviors

(transformational leadership to establish new standards and to provide

a sense of vision) and transactional behaviors (those which state

expectations and enforce norms adopted within the environment).

a sense of purpose, security and leadership, which accomplishes the

immediate tasks and provides a sense of vision for future tasks

(Halderson et al, 1989)

23 These items do not guarantee success, but they are used as a guide that may

lead to success. The concern is that when effective schools are identified, researchers

often report that those schools do not necessarily have a moderate to high level of

students of color and /or students with low socioeconomic status succeeding, according to

state and national standards (Ladson-Billings, 1994). This continues to be a major

concern. It is important to try to improve the effectiveness of all schools regardless of the

demographic make-up or socioeconomic status. As indicated above, the research shows

that the climate of the school is a component that is used when defining the schools

effectiveness. The climate is an important factor in learning, important to assess, "and it

is measurable, malleable, and material to those that work and learn in schools" (Freiberg

& Stein 1999, p. 5).

Specific Dimensions of School Climate

After conducting a meta-analysis, Wang, Haertel, and Walberg (1997) found that

instruction and climate together have as much influence on students' learning as aptitude

categories (Freiberg & Stein, 1999). According to the NASSP model, school climate is a

variable that influences student productivity and satisfaction (Halderson et al., 1989).

"The nature of the school environment and the nurturing which occurs within the school

or classroom environment, are the most important determinants of the quality of intended

student outcomes" (Halderson et al., 1989, p. 3). Many school climate studies focus on

job satisfaction of adults/educators and ignore student outcomes and satisfaction

(Halderson et al., 1989). "Although job satisfaction of adults is a variable of school

climate, it is not the key factor of a school's effectiveness" (Halderson et al., 1989, p. 1).

There are many aspects needed to develop, maintain, and measure the health of a school.

The dimensions of climate that were selected for the purpose of this study will be

discussed in this section.

For this research, climate committee members from a midwestern suburban high

school where the study was conducted participated in a brainstorming activity, in which

they were asked to define school climate. The participants of the committee consisted of

administrators, teachers, teacher assistants, and students who volunteered to serve on the

School Climate Committee. Most students who participated were those who were

already involved in their school community, i.e., involved in sports, clubs, and activities.

All participants appeared motivated and eager to express their thoughts, ideas, and

concerns related to the climate of the school. After approximately two to three sessions,

the committee determined that there were three areas that they would focus on that would

be used to define school climate. The committee members decided that perceptions of

attitudes, interpersonal relationships, and safety were the most important aspects in

defining school climate.

Attitudes were defined as the perceptions of the quality of guidance, concern for

achieving, and overall effectiveness of the classroom experience. Students' perceptions

of teachers showing respect, providing support, facilitating communication, providing

encouragement, and having high expectations were identified under the category of

interpersonal relationships. Also, defined under interpersonal relationships was students'

ability to accept and/or tolerate others and the ability to treat others fairly, i.e., which

includes providing all students with the same opportunity to be involved in school

activities. Safety was defined as the overall degree of security that everyone feels in

school, i.e., which means providing a feeling of comfort, enforcing rules and dealing with

25 conflicts. Participation in this process, by the investigator, helped in the development

of this study.

After gathering information from several different types of school climate surveys

and studies, it was determined that it is impossible to research all aspects of school

climate. Several different surveys and other information regarding school climate were

explored in order to determine what operational definition would be most appropriate for

this study. The information is summarized below.

The Organizational Climate Index (OCI), measures two dimension of principal

behavior and three dimensions of teacher behavior. "The scores from the five dimensions

describe the openness and the intimacy of the school climate" (Witcher, 1993, p. 1). The

Effective School Battery (ESB) surveys teachers and students on their perceptions of

"morale, safety, degree to which the school is found to be pleasant, and the perceived

administrative/staff tension" (Witcher, 1993, p. 2).

Gonder (1994) identified four dimensions of school climate needed to promote an

effective school, and they are as follows: affective, social, physical, and academic. The

elements of the affective dimension are caring, cohesiveness, high morale, opportunity

for participation, respect, and trust. The elements of the social dimension are student-

teacher interaction, student-student interaction, and opportunity for input. The physical

dimension consists of physical environment and materials, and the academic dimension

consists of academic emphasis, high expectations, rewards and praise, orderliness, and

monitoring of pupil progress (Gonder, 1994). According to Carla Stevens and Kathryn

Sanchez (1999), Borger, et al. also developed 8 similar factors used to define school

climate and they are as follows: "leadership, school climate, teacher/student relations,

curriculum and instruction, finance, physical environment, evaluation, and

parent/community involvement" (Freiberg, 1999, p. 125).

As mentioned before, the climate committee from a midwestern suburban high

school identified three subscales that they used to define school climate. These

subscales; attitude, interpersonal relationships, and safety, are all recognized areas of

many climate studies, which are described above.

The goal in assessing school climate is to identify what in the school needs to be

changed (Gottfredson & Hollifield, 1988). The process is continuous, and the focus

should be on discovering the problems and determining why the problems exist

(Gottfredson & Hollifield, 1988). "Climate assessments by themselves will solve no

problems, but they are useful goads to action that help keep program development on the

right track" (Gottfredson & Hollifield, 1988, p. 63). There are many tools available to

assist in assessing the effectiveness of a school. Researchers have used student drawings

and journal narratives, check lists, questionnaires, surveys, and focus groups. Many

questionnaires and surveys are completed by teachers and administrators.

Freiberg (1998) reported that few climate measures "tap students as a source of

feedback," although students as early as third grade have spent at least five thousand

hours in a classroom (p. 209). Students are able to provide important information related

to their school experience, such as, which staff is caring and whether they are learning

effectively. This information is valuable and can provide insight to administrators and

teachers.

After reviewing additional student surveys and questionnaires, such as, the

Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire (ICEQ), Questionnaire on Teacher

27 Interaction (QTI), Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), School-level

Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ), Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI), and the

Comprehensive Assessments of School Environment (CASE), it was determined that the

comprehensive school climate survey would be appropriate to assess the needs of the

school from the students perspective.

CASE was developed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals

(NASSP). There are four survey components of CASE, and they are as follows: school

climate survey; student satisfaction survey; teacher satisfaction survey; and parent

satisfaction survey. The instrument was developed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

where it was piloted and then field tested at Western Michigan University. Testing,

norming, and the overall development were completed with the help of educators,

students, parents, and citizens around United States, contributing thousands of data points

to the norms (Halderson et al., 1989). The task force committee members who worked

diligently on the survey instruments developed a clear definition of school climate. They

indicated that school climate is "the relatively enduring pattern of shared perceptions

about the characteristics of an organization and its members" (Halderson et al., 1989, p.

3).

Development of the School Climate Survey

The NASSP task force committee created an item bank after extensively

reviewing literature related to school climate and effective schools and reviewing and

analyzing other survey instruments being used by researchers. There were two forms of

the instrument developed and pilot tested nationally. Data were analyzed and studied at

Western Michigan University. From the analysis, both studies were supported by

28 NASSP and by the College of Education at Western Michigan University. A national

field test was used to further refine the instrument. Twenty-nine different schools with

various student characteristics, sizes, public/private governance, and geographical

locations agreed to participate in the national field study to further refine the instrument

(Halderson et al., 1989). The survey was administered to more than 14,600 students

during the national pilot and norming studies. The instrument showed validity and

"measure aspects of the school environment deemed important to stakeholders" (teachers,

parents, and students) (Halderson et al., 1989, p. 7). A national norming study was also

conducted in 1985 and a factor analysis was performed on the results. Data from this

process resulted in a 55-question survey that provides information on the perceptions of

school climate of key stakeholders (Halderson et al., 1989).

The school climate survey collects data on 10 subscales: teacher-student

relationships; security and maintenance; administration; student academic orientation;

student behavioral values; guidance; student-peer relationships; parent and community-

school relationships; instructional management; and student activities (Halderson et al.,

1989).

Surveying School Climate

Freiberg (1998) indicated that school climate can be measured in many ways, at

all educational levels, and with the most obvious source of information being student

feedback. "Few climate measures tap students as a source of feedback" (p. 23). "The

feedback process allows students to be citizens, rather than tourists in their school, as

they realize they have an opportunity to participate in shaping the education process" (p.

24). It is important to look at the perceptions of the students as one form of assessing the

needs of the school, m order to help increase the potential for success. Gonder (1994)

stated that "in addition to looking at student characteristics and academic performance, it

is important to "take the temperature" of the school (p. 76).

NASSP School Climate Survey (with modifications)

In this survey, climate is measured by asking students to respond to questions

in terms of what he or she believes or knows to be true about the school environment.

The individual student's personal opinion or reaction to the environment is the focus.

The developers of the NAASP School Climate Survey indicated that the data collected is

primarily used as a mediating variable and not an outcome measure (Halderson et al.,

1989, p. ix). However, for the purpose of this study, information will be used as an

outcome variable. The information gathered will be used to determine how students

perceive their school's climate. As reported previously, "the use of outcome based

measures has become acceptable among educators" (Halderson et al., 1989, p. 37).

This study will address this question:

How do seniors attending a midwestern suburban high school, perceive school

climate as measured by the NASSP School Climate Survey?

A. What are the high school students' perceptions of school

climate compared to the NASSP CASE national norms?

B. How do Black students, Hispanic Students, Asian/Pacific

Islander students, and White students perceive school climate

compared to NASSP CASE national norms?

C. Are there differences in perceptions of school climate among

racial groups?

30 D. Do gender, achievement, and age impact students'

perceptions of school climate?

Limitations and Delimitations of the Study

This study may be limited by the following factors:

1. Because this study relies on the perceptions of students only, it does not provide a

comprehensive look at the overall climate of the school from all stakeholders'

perspectives. It also does not provide the opportunity for comparison between groups

of stakeholders, in order to determine similarities and differences among those

groups.

2. Findings of this study reflect the perceptions of a sample of students from one high

school and one grade level based on availability and willingness to participate and

may not be generalizable to other populations. This sampling restriction was a

limiting factor.

3. This study relies on the students' G.P.A. as the only measure of academic

achievement.

4. Special education students were removed from this study at the request of the

Institutional Review Board, due to the dual role that the examiner played as

researcher and school staff. Therefore, it was not possible to asses the perceptions of

that "at-risk" group.

5. Due to confidentiality issues students with a low socioeconomic status could not be

identified for the purposes of comparing their perceptions with other student groups,

to determine if a significant difference existed. This is a limitation.

CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY

This is a quantitative study that surveyed high school seniors' perceptions of their

school's climate. This chapter includes the selection of participants, a description of the

instrument used, information regarding the validity and reliability of the instrument, the

procedures used to collect data, and the technique used to analyze data.

Participants

To determine the perceptions of school climate, the CASE School Climate Survey

was administered to seniors attending a midwestern suburban high school. According to

the 2006/2007 ethnic enrollment statistics, 1140 (53.2%) White students, 270 (12.6%)

Black students, 362 (16.9%) Hispanic students, 346 (16.1%) Asian/Pacific Islander

students, 2 (0.1%) Native American students, and 24 (1.1%) bi/multi-raciaf students were

enrolled in school. The 2006/2007 senior class consisted of 303 white students, 60 Black

students, 63 Hispanic students, 82 Asian/Pacific Islander students, 1 Native American

student, and 3 multi-racial/ethnic students. The 262 seniors (51.5% of seniors) enrolled

in the senior survey class or a study hall during the second semester of the 2006/2007

school year were eligible to participate in this study. Out of the 262 eligible participants,

137 (52%) participated in the study.

Participants who were 18-years-old were asked to give consent to participate after

31

32 being provided with a brief description of the study and directions for completing the

survey. Those students who were younger than 18-years-old were requested to obtain

parental consent along with providing their assent. Only students who gave consent

participated. They were asked to complete a 55-question School Climate Survey, which

is a component of the Comprehensive Assessment of School Environments (CASE)

developed by the National Association of School Principals (NASSP). This survey asks

questions about situations found in many schools.

TABLE 1

NUMBER OF COMPLETED SURVEYS BY RACE AND GENDER

Male Female Number Total Senior % Completion Race Students Students of Participants Class Rate by Race White 36 38 74 303 24.4

Black 10 8 18 60 30.0

Hispanic 11 8 19 63 30.2

Asian Pacific/Islander 13 13 26 82 31.7

Total 70 67 137 : 508

Instrumentation

The School Climate Survey, a component of the CASE, is an instrument used

with students in 6th -12th grades, as well as teachers, administrators, community members

and parents. It can be used to asses the school climate of both the school and the

classroom settings. The readability level is rated at grades 5th-6th (Halderson et al., 1989).

The following modifications were made to the original survey: larger font size

was used; students were asked to circle their answers instead of being asked to darken in

circles; students were allowed to complete the survey with a pen or a pencil; and the

layout was simplified. The original layout had the responses stacked on top of each other

33 (i.e., strongly disagree, disagree etc.) above the response numbers. The participant was

asked to follow a line across to the right hand side of the page and then down to the

appropriate answers (numbers 1-6). This could increase the likelihood of making

mistakes, by choosing the wrong number, due to difficulties with scanning across and

down the page. The potential to darken in the wrong circle was greater than on the

modified layout. On the modified version, the choices were placed directly above the

corresponding numbers. Also, students were not required to identify their role as a

student, since they were the only group surveyed. By making the above changes,

students had a clearer understanding of the directions and were able to complete the

survey with a reduced chance of making errors. The purpose of the survey, which was to

gather information regarding the status of the school, was enhanced by the modifications.

The participants were asked to "select an item that best describes how he/she

feels," (Halderson et al., 1989, p. 3). The responses are based on a five point scale. The

response options include the following: strongly disagree, disagree, neither agree nor

disagree, agree, and strongly agree. There was also an option to respond, "I don't know."

The independent variables in this research were race, gender, and grade point average.

The dependent variables were the students' perceptions of the 10 subscales of school

climate.

Validity and Reliability

Validity is the extent to which an instrument actually measures what it purports to

measure. There is "no obvious body of content that exists that corresponds to school

climate" (Halderson et al., 1989, p. 25). However, an extensive item bank was developed

based on the dimensions of climate and effective schools (reported in literature and

34 previous studies). The items were analyzed and further evaluated by the NASSP task

force committee members, as they acted as expert panels. The same task force members

treated the construct of school climate as multi-dimensional. They emphasized the

importance of scale and item conceptualization. "The groups of closely related items

were scored and interpreted as scales" (Halderson et al., 1989, p. 25). To insure strong

construct validity, task force members identified clusters of related items through the use

of extensive exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. After analyzing the data, it

was determined that all stakeholders conceptualized the school characteristics in similar

ways.

Developers of the School Climate Survey calculated the internal consistency

coefficients for each subscale using Cronbach alpha. This calculation was based on data

collected in pilot and normative studies. The average internal consistency is 0.78, with

the scale range from 0.67 to 0.87, which indicates adequate reliability. The 5 scale,

Student Academic Orientation, probably is low because the scale only has 3 items. Table

2 lists subscale reliabilities.

35 TABLE 2

SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY: INTERNAL CONSISTENCY ESTIMATE OF RELIABILITY

Subscale Name Teacher-Student Relationships

Security and Maintenance

Administration

Student Academic Orientation

Student Behavioral Values

Guidance

Student-Peer Relationships

Parent & Community-School Relationships

Instructional Management

Student Activities

Number of items 12

7

6

4

3

4

4

4

7

4

Subscah

n

5220

3946

4710

6088

6865

5612

6315

4640

6173

5373

J Definition

Cronbach alpha

.87

.84

.82

.75

.67

.78

.80

.74

.79

.72

The NASSP task force committee identified 10 areas used to measure school climate:

Teacher-Student Relationships

1. Perceptions about the quality of the interpersonal and professional

relationships between teachers and students.

Security and Maintenance

2. Perceptions about the quality of school building maintenance and the

degree of security people feel at the school.

Administration

3. Perceptions of the degree to which school administrators are effective

in communicating with different role groups and in setting high

performance expectations for teachers and students.

36 Student Academic Orientation

4. Perceptions about student attention to task and concern for

achievement at school.

Student Behavioral Values

5. Perceptions about student self-discipline and tolerance for others.

Guidance

6. Perceptions of the quality of academic and career guidance and

personal counseling services available to students.

Student-Peer Relationships

7. Perceptions about students' care and respect for one another and their

mutual cooperation.

Parent and Community-School Relationships

8. Perceptions of the amount and quality of involvement in the school by

parents and other community members.

Instructional Management

9. Perceptions of the effectiveness of teacher classroom organization and

the use of classroom time.

Student Activities

10. Perceptions about opportunities for, and actual participation by

students, in school-sponsored activities (Halderson et al., 2002, p. 5).

37 The NASSP school climate survey's ten subscales are listed below:

Subscales Questions I. Teacher-Student Relationships 1-12

II. Security and Maintenance 13-19

III. Administration 20-25

IV. Student Academic Orientation 26-29

V. Student Behavioral Values 30-32

VI. Guidance 33-36

VII. Student-Peer Relationships 37-40

VIII. Parent & Community-School Relationships 41-44

IX. Instructional Management 45-51

X. Student Activities 52-55

Data Collection

The NASSP School Climate Survey (modified version) was given to the students

during their senior survey class or study hall. Students were told that information was

being gathered on how they feel about their school. They were told that their responses

to a 55-question survey will be kept confidential. Information was gathered identifying

each student's age, identification number (in order to pair that with student's G.P.A.),

race, and gender. Data were only reported in a comprehensive form (in groups), and no

students were identifiable. Students completed the survey on their own time. Students

under the age of 18 were told that they were required to obtain parental consent before

participating in the research. The consent forms, assent forms, and surveys were returned

together.

38 The internal consistency coefficients for each subscale for this research data

were calculated using Cronbach alpha. The Cronbach procedure was used to provide an

estimate of the degree to which the items in the subscales are intercorrelated. The

Cronbach alphas obtained from this study were similar to those obtained from the

original study. See information in Table 3.

TABLE 3

SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY

INTERNAL CONSISTENCY ESTIMATE OF RELIABILITY: CURRENT STUDY

Subscale Name Teacher-Student Relationships

Security and Maintenance

Administration

Student Academic Orientation

Student Behavioral Values

Guidance

Student-Peer Relationships

Parent & Community-School Relationships

Instructional Management

Student Activities

Number of items 12

7

6

4

3

4

4

4

7

4

n

137

137

137

137

137

137

137

137

137

137

Cronbach alpha .84

.83

.83

.69

.68

.85

.82

.84

.73

.71

Statistical Treatment of the Data

The NASSP School Climate Survey was used to determine the climate of a

midwestern suburban high school. The 55-question survey was divided into

39 10 separate independent subscales, as described above. The CASE School Climate

Survey was scored according to the procedures in the examiner's manual, and the average

response on each item was calculated and used in place of the "I Don't Know" and/or

missing responses. Group subscale raw scores were calculated and converted to T-scores

or linear standard scores with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. Each of the

10 subscales from the school climate survey was analyzed separately and mean scores

and standard deviations were determined for students as an entire group. These mean

scores were compared to the national normative group means provided in the Examiner's

Manual (Halderson et al., 2002, p. 12), and the standard error of the mean was calculated

for each subscale in order to determine how typical or atypical the sample was when

compared to how school climate subscale scores were distributed in the normative

sample.

A t-test was used to make the comparison. Then the mean scores were calculated

for each racial group, which includes, White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander,

and the same statistical procedure described above was followed. The grand means per

scale were calculated because it was determined that all items relate to the same construct

based on reliability. Then the racial groups were compared to each other using an

analysis of variance (ANOVA). The ANOVA was also used to compare the dependent

measures against achievement groups and gender to determine if there was a difference in

students' perceptions of school climate between the groups.

CHAPTER FOUR PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

The purpose of this study was to assess the students' perception of school climate

of a midwestern suburban high school. The NAASP school climate survey was used to

gather information regarding how students' feel about their school. The following

research question guided the course of this study:

How do seniors attending a midwestern suburban high school perceive school

climate as measured by the NASSP School Climate Survey?

A. What are the high school students' perceptions of school climate compared to the

NASSP CASE national norms?

B. How do Black students, Hispanic students, Asian/Pacific

Islander students, and White students perceive school climate compared to the

NASSP CASE national norms?

C. Are there differences in perceptions of school climate among racial groups?

D. Do gender and achievement impact students' perceptions of school climate?

Data was processed using the SPSS data analysis package, after the hand scoring

process explained in the examiner's manual was used. The following steps were used.

Step 1: Generate subscale raw scores using the formula provided. Step 2: Determine

subscale standard scores by converting raw scores using the table provided. Step 3:

Calculate group norms, standard deviations, and standard scores for all groups.

40

41 Data were collected from 137 seniors from a midwestern suburban high school.

Group subscale average raw scores were generated on all ten subscales for each of the

following subgroups: Black students, White students, Hispanic students, Asian/Pacific

Islander students, male students, female students, below average achieving students,

average achieving students, and above average achieving students. The scores were then

converted to standard scores by using the raw score to standard score conversion chart in

the NASSP' School Climate Examiner's Manual (Halderson et a l , 2002). The group

mean scores from the research groups, i.e., entire student group and different racial/ethnic

groups, were compared to the national mean scores by using the interpretation

information provided in the Examiner's Manual (Halderson et al., 2002). Based on

information from the NASSP Examiner's Manual, scores were interpreted using the

following method:

Any score within one standard deviation of the mean (50), either above or below,

falls by definition within the middle 68 percent of all the scores.. .Standard scores

of 40-60 on the group profiles should be interpreted as "about average" for the

scale. Standard scores higher than 60 are positive indicators and a possible source

for self-congratulation. Those lower than 40 may identify a source of concern

that should be addressed to the extent possible (Halderson et al., 2002, p. 30).

The t-test was used to determine if a significant difference existed between the

national norm mean scores and the different student groups' mean scores. The perception

of school climate based on racial groups was also compared to each other using an

ANOVA. The ANOVA was also used to compare the dependent measures against

achievement groups and gender to determine if there was a difference in students'

42 perceptions of school between the different achievement groups and between boys and

girls. The analysis of data for each subscale follows:

TABL

E 4

SCH

OO

L CL

IMA

TE SU

RVEY

SU

MM

ARY

D

ATA

: A

LL ST

UD

ENT

NA

TIO

NA

L N

ORM

SC

HO

OL

Stan

dard

Er

ror

Deg

rees

o

f

Subscales

Mean

S.D.

S.S. N

Mean

S.D. S.S. N

ofdifference ofF

reed

om

t p

1 39.2

7.9

50

5220

42.7 6.6

55

137

0.68

5355

5.14

.0001*

2 26.5

4.9

49

3946

28.1 3.8

53

137

0.42

4081 3.78

.0002*

3 20.3

4.8

49

4710

18.6 4.7

47

137

0.42

48

45

4.09

.0001*

4 13.5

3.1

52

6088

13.2 2.6

48

137

0.27

6223

1.12 .2611

5 7.6

2.6

52

6865

7.5

2.4

52

137

0.22

70

00

0.45

.6553

6 15.1

3.2

50

5612

15.4 3.1

53

137

0.28

57

47

1.09

.2780

7 13.7

3.2

51

6315 12.5 3.2

48

137

0.28

64

50

4.34

.0001*

8 13.9

3.1

50

4640

13.6 3.1

50

137

0.27

47

75

1.12

.2643

9 26.2

4.4

50

6173 25.8 4.0

50

137

0.38

6308

1.05 .2917

10

14.7

3.4

51

5373

15.6 3.0

54

137

0.294

4508

3.06

.0022*

* =

=p 6 (i 6 (i 6 6 6 6

Cop

yrig

ht (2

006)

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atio

nal A

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15. Pe

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2 3

IS.

1 he

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go

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pan

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2 3

19 'I h

e sc

hool

gr

ound

s ar

e nea

t an

d at

trac

tive

1 2

3

AD

MIN

ISTR

ATI

ON

(P

rincip

al, A

ssis

tant

Pr

inci

pal

etc.

) 20

.

The

adm

inist

rato

rs in

th

is sc

hool

lis

ten

to

st

uden

t ide

as.

1 2

3 21

.

The

adm

inist

rato

rs in

th

is sc

hool

ta

lk ofte

n w

ith te

ache

rs an

d pa

renl.

-..

1 2

3 22

.

The

adm

inist

rato

rs in

th

is sc

hool

se

t hig

h st

anda

rds

and

lei ica

ciicr

*.

stud

ents,

an

d pa

rent

s kno

w w

hat t

hese

st

anda

rds

are.

1

2 3

23.

Adm

inist

rato

rs se

t a gp

od ex

ampl

e by

w

ork

ing

hard

th

emse

lves

.

I 2

3 24

.

The

adm

inist

rato

rs in

th

is sc

hool

ar

e w

illin

g to

he

ar st

uden

t co

mpl

aint

s an

d o

pini

ons.

I 2

3 25

.

Teac

hers

an

d st

uden

ts he

lp to

de

cide

w

hat h

appe

ns in

th

is sc

hool

1

2 3

STU

DEN

T A

CA

DEM

IC O

RIE

NTA

TIO

N

26.

Stud

ents

here

unde

rsta

nd w

hy th

ey ar

e in

sc

hool

.

1 2

3 27

.

In th

is sc

hool

, st

uden

ts ar

c in

tere

sted

in le

arni

ng new

th

ings

.

1 2

3 2S

St

uden

t* in

tin

? sc

hool

ha

ve fu

n hu

t also

vv

oik ha

t J on

th

en .st

udies

1

2 3

2'). S

tude

nts

vvoik

ha

rd to

co

mpl

ete

thci

i sch

ool a

ssig

nmen

ts.

1 2

3

STU

DEN

T B

EHA

VIO

RAL

VA

LUES

30

.

If o

ne

stud

ent m

akes

fu

n of s

om

eon

e, oth

er st

uden

ts do

not jo

in in

.

1 2

3 31

.- St

uden

ts m

th

is,sc

hool

ar

e w

ell-b

ehav

ed ev

en w

hen th

e te

ache

rs ar

c not

w

atch

ing

them

.

I -

3 32

.

Mos

t stu

dent

s w

ould

do

th

eir

wo

rk ev

en if

the

teac

her

step

ped

out o

f the

cl

assr

oom

.

2 3

GU

IDA

NCE

33

.

Teac

hers

o

r co

unse

lors

en

cou

rage

st

uden

ts to

th

ink

abou

t th

eir

futu

ie.

I 2

3 34

.

Teac

hers

or

counse

lors

he

lp st

uden

ts pl

an lo

r I u

iure

cl

ashe

s an

d lo

t fu

ture

job

s. 1

2 3

35.. T

each

ers

or

"co

urise

lors"

help

st

uden

ts w

ith pe

rson

al pr

oble

ms.

1 2

3 36

.

Stud

ents

in th

is sc

hool

ca

n ge

t hel

p an

d ad

v te

c Sa

m. ic

achc

ts oi

co

un.ic

lots.

1

2 3

Cop

yrig

ht (2

006)

N

atio

nal A

ssoc

iatio

n o

f Sec

onda

ry Sc

hool

Pr

inci

pals

w

ww

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ncip

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R

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nted

w

ith Pe

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Stro

ngly

D

isag

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Dis

agre

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eith

er

agr

ee

no

r di

sagr

ee

STU

DE

NT

-PE

ER

RE

LA

TIO

NSH

IPS

37.

Stud

ents

care

a

bout

"ea

ch o

ihei

.

I 2

38.

Stud

ents

re

spec

t each

oih

et

I 2

39.

Stud

ents

'wan

t to

be

frie

nds

with

o

ne

niii

irh