Investigating the Stability of a School Climate Factor Structure

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Abstract

South Carolina (SC) school climate surveys have recently undergone changes, which include the addition of bullying items and changes to administration. This study re-examined the underlying factor structure of the SC school climate data using 2023 teacher and student surveys. Findings from the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified a five- and four-factor structure for teacher and student surveys. These factor structures were substantively aligned with the previously identified structures, lending evidence to the stability of school climate structures. However, new items included related to bullying appeared problematic, as they do not align well with evaluating the broader school climate. Recommendations for those developing school climate surveys include requiring a more targeted mix of individual-level and school-level items.

Authors

• Elizabeth Leighton, University of South Carolina

• Jungsun Go, University of South Carolina

• Mihaela Ene, University of South Carolina

• Tiejun Zhang, University of South Carolina

• Christine DiStefano, University of South Carolina