School Climate and the Relationship to Student Learning of Hispanic 10th Grade Students in Arizona Schools

Abstract

This study provided an analysis of Hispanic 10 th grade student academic achievement in the areas of mathematics, reading and writing as measured by the Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards. The study is based on data of 163 school districts and 25,103 (95%) students in the state of Arizona as published by the Arizona Department of Education. In the study, the quantitative correlations of four independent school climate-related variables with student learning (dependent variable) were analyzed. The independent variables were the following: teachers’ years of experience, teachers’ academic preparation, Limited English Proficiency (LEP) student population and economically disadvantaged student population. The study sought to inform principals and the discipline of Education Administration about the complex school climate issues that relate to student learning in Arizona high schools among the Hispanic student population. In so doing, the study offered informed arguments regarding the complex issue of narrowing the achievement gap of Hispanic students.