The Contribution of School Climate, Socioeconomic Status, Ethnocultural Affiliation, and School Level to Language Arts Scores: A Multilevel Moderated Mediation Model

Background and Purpose: Large academic achievement gaps persist between social and racial groups, which have deleterious consequences for marginalized individuals and communities. Evidence suggests that schools can promote higher grades by reducing the negative effect of socioeconomic status (SES) disadvantage through the mediation of a positive climate. Yet a question remains largely unanswered: Is the mediation of positive school climate on the link between SES and academic achievement similar for all schools in all cultures and among all ethnic groups? To address this gap, this study examined the effect of school climate, ethnicity and culture (Hebrew and Arabic schools) and SES background on schools’ language arts test scores.

Methods: The present study explored unique information on students’ and schools’ SES backgrounds, students’ perceptions of 54 items regarding school climate, and language arts test scores using nationally representative data in Israel covering 75,674 students in 1,188 schools. Intraclass correlation coefficients (.178) and design effects (18.19) warranted multilevel analyses involving separate student-level (school climate) and school-level (SES, ethnocultural affiliation, test scores) analyses. Factor analysis revealed three school climate factors: student–teacher relationships (α = .852), insecurity and school violence (α = .800), and risky peer behaviors, which yielded poor reliability (α = .474) and was excluded. Multilevel parallel mediation analyses examined the mediation role of school climate factors on the link between school SES and test scores. Models were evaluated using the Lavaan package in R.

Results: In elementary and high schools, test scores were significantly associated with school SES (.09 and .17, respectively), insecurity violence (-.19 and -.09), and positive student–teacher relationships (.09 for both). Higher school SES associated with less positive student–teacher relationships (-.03 and -.14) and less insecurity and violence (-.18 and -.07). The indirect effect of school SES on language scores via student–teacher relationships was not significant. For Hebrew schools, the indirect effect of school SES on scores via insecurity and violence was not significant. For Arabic schools, the indirect effect of school SES on scores via insecurity and violence was not significant for secondary schools, but significant for elementary schools (b = 4.03, SE = 1.80, p = .03), such that insecurity and violence were higher in schools with lower SES (b = -0.11, SE = 0.00, p < .001) and higher levels of insecurity and violence resulted in lower language test scores (b = -25.00, SE = 0.98, p < .001).

Conclusions and Implications: Academic achievement improves in safe schools where climate is positive. The mediation of insecurity and school violence in the SES–test score association was significant for elementary schools catering to minority populations. These results demonstrate that schools prioritizing school safety and security can increase academic opportunities and level the playing field for students from vulnerable cultures and backgrounds. This has implications for school social work practice and policy measures to improve school climate, especially in schools catering to ethnic minority and vulnerable populations, where more significant contributions likely exist. Differences between Hebrew and Arabic schools call for culturally sensitive approaches.