A multi-informant study of school climate: student, parent, and teacher perceptions

Abstract

This paper presents a multi-informant study on school climate with the aim of (a) comparing students’, teachers’, and parents’ perceptions of several school climate dimensions and (b) examining the associations between dimensions pertaining to classroom practices and school atmosphere in both students and teachers. Participants comprised 105 teachers, 320 parents, and 1070 students (49% female; Mage = 11.77) enrolled in four middle schools in Northern Italy. The latent mean comparison of students’, teachers’, and parents’ perceptions revealed many significant differences, with teachers generally reporting better perceptions of the quality of the school environment. A multigroup path analysis highlighted associations between classroom practices and school atmosphere dimensions of school climate which varied for students and teachers. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for school intervention and the fostering of a supportive school environment.