A Path Investigation of School Climate, Poverty, and Academic Achievement

• In Event: Academic and Personal Well-Being: Insights From Studies of School Community, Climate, and Culture

Abstract

Research has supported a positive relationship between school climate and student achievement, yet the relationship has not been fully investigated along with the effect of socio-economic status. This study examined the relationship between school climate, poverty, and academic achievement with data collected from 656 elementary schools in South Carolina. The results suggested that school climate factors not only mediate the effect of socioeconomic status, but also exert direct influence on student achievement. Further investigation with subgroups of schools clustered by poverty indicated that school climate factors were most influential in the high poverty group. The findings call for more attention and efforts to the enhancement of school climate in schools of low socioeconomic status.

Authors

• Tiejun Zhang, University of South Carolina

• Mihaela Ene, University of South Carolina

• Elizabeth Leighton, University of South Carolina

• Christine DiStefano, University of South Carolina

• Diane M. Monrad, University of South Carolina