School Racial Climate and the Racialized Experiences of Racially Minoritized Youth in Schools: What We Know and Where to Go

Abstract

The importance of the school environment in the development and achievement of youth has been well-documented. Racial inequities within the school environment may lead to differential schooling experiences and perceptions between racially minoritized youth and their White peers. Differences in school racial climate contribute to the achievement gap and impact psychosocial outcomes. Despite this understanding, school racial climate literature remains underemphasized due, in part, to the absence of a unifying model of school racial climate. The current article discusses the importance of school racial climate as conceptually distinct from school climate, provides an overview of existing literature across fields, and identifies factors for consideration in advancing school racial climate research.