Closing the Achievement Gap: The Association of Racial Climate with Achievement and Behavioral Outcomes

Closing the Achievement Gap: The Association of Racial Climate with Achievement and Behavioral Outcomes

Community Psychology, Education

This study investigated the relationship between
school racial climate and students’ self-reports of
academic and discipline outcomes, including whether racial
climate mediated and/or moderated the relationship
between race and outcomes. Using the Racial Climate
Survey-High School Version (M. Aber et al., unpublished),
data were gathered from African American (n = 382) and
European American students (n = 1456) regarding their
perceptions of racial climate. About 18% of the respondents
were low-income and approximately 50% were male.
Positive perceptions of the racial climate were associated
with higher student achievement and fewer discipline
problems. Further, race moderated the relationship between
racial climate and both achievement and discipline outcomes.
Finally, racial differences in students’ grades and
discipline outcomes were associated with differences in
perceptions of racial climate. Results suggest careful
attention should be given to the racial climate of secondary
schools, particularly for adolescents who perceive schools
as unfair.

Erica Mattison and Mark S. Aber

Journal of Community Psychology

2007

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