How Do Varying Types of Youth Civic Engagement Relate to Perceptions of School Climate?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate a) the relations between different types of civic behaviors and middle school students' perceptions of school climate, and b) the compositional effects of student civic engagement on setting-level school climate perceptions. Using a sample of 4,073 students in 11 public schools from a southeastern state, multilevel regression analyses found that, in general, civic behaviors were positively associated with school climate outcomes at the individual and setting level. However, certain types of civic behavior were negatively associated with desired school climate outcomes at both levels. These findings suggest a complicated relationship between student civic engagement and school climate, and imply that schools and adult leaders may need to carefully consider the types of opportunities for civic engagement provided to students.