The Relationship between Classroom Climate and Student Achievement

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between sixth grade students' academic achievement levels in math and their perceptions of school climate. Student characteristics of socioeconomic status and gender were used to identify groups for the purpose of data analysis. Data was gathered using the five independent variables of the My Class Inventory (satisfaction, friction, competitiveness, difficulty, and cohesiveness) and the dependent variable of the Stanford Achievement Total Math scores. The results of the data collection were tested using a Pearson product-moment analysis and a backward multiple regression analysis. A univariate analysis of variance was also used to compare the five independent variables of the My Class Inventory as well as to compare socioeconomic status and gender with the Stanford Achievement Total Math scores. The schools selected for this study were from a city in Texas with a population of approximately 100,000. The sample consisted of 262 sixth grade mathematics students. The findings of this study are as follows: (a) The Pearson product-moment correlation analysis revealed little, if any, correlation for any of the five subscale predictor variables; (b) the multiple regression analysis revealed that all five classroom climate indicators combined together could explain only 10.5% of the variance in mathematics achievement; (c) the univariate analysis of variance revealed that there is a significant relationship between the climate factors of friction and difficulty when compared to mathematics achievement; and (d) the univariate analysis of variance also ii revealed that mathematics achievement scores vary significantly as a function of economic category membership, but there appears to be no relationship to gender. iii iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I express my appreciation to all who were instrumental in the realization of this study. This research was not a singular effort, and to all who contributed, I am grateful. I thank Dr. William Camp, my committee chairman, for his encouragement, assistance, wise counsel, and ability to push me to a higher level of excellence. I also thank Dr. Millie Gore and Dr. James Laney for their expertise, positive attitudes, and guidance. Without these professors' efforts, this dissertation would never have been completed. To my husband, Wayne Bennett, a source of strength and encouragement, I am deeply grateful. He is a constant sounding board, cheerleader, data collector, and proofreader. I also thank my mother, Dorothy Moore, who believes I can do anything and who assisted in scoring and organizing the data. I am especially …