@article{ref1,
title="Measuring school climate in high schools: a focus on safety, engagement, and the environment",
journal="Journal of school health",
year="2014",
author="Bradshaw, Catherine Pilcher and Waasdorp, Tracy Evian and Debnam, Katrina J. and Johnson, Sarah Lindstrom",
volume="84",
number="9",
pages="593-604",
abstract="BACKGROUND: School climate has been linked to multiple student behavioral, academic, health, and social-emotional outcomes. The US Department of Education (USDOE) developed a 3-factor model of school climate comprised of safety, engagement, and environment. This article examines the factor structure and measurement invariance of the USDOE model. <br><br>METHODS: Drawing upon 2 consecutive waves of data from over 25,000 high school students (46% minority), a series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses examined the fit of the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools Climate Survey with the USDOE model. <br><br>RESULTS: The results indicated adequate model fit with the theorized 3-factor model of school climate, which included 13 subdomains: safety (perceived safety, bullying and aggression, and drug use); engagement (connection to teachers, student connectedness, academic engagement, school connectedness, equity, and parent engagement); environment (rules and consequences, physical comfort, and support, disorder). We also found consistent measurement invariance with regard to student sex, grade level, and ethnicity. School-level interclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.04 to.10 for the scales. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Findings supported the USDOE 3-factor model of school climate and suggest measurement invariance and high internal consistency of the 3 scales and 13 subdomains. These results suggest the 56-item measure may be a potentially efficient, yet comprehensive measure of school climate.<p/> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-4391",
doi="10.1111/josh.12186",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/josh.12186"
}