Uline, Tschannen-Moran, and Wolsey, 2009
Accompanying the recent concern for the quality of our nation’s educational infrastructure is a growing body of research connecting the quality of school facilities to both student outcomes including achievement, behavior, and attitude as well as to teacher attitude and behavior. Less is known about the mechanisms of these relationships. This study examines the link between school building quality and student outcomes through the mediating influence of school climate. Results of a recent study confirmed a link between the quality of school facilities and student achievement in both English and mathematics. As well, correlational analyses indicated that quality facilities were significantly positively related to three school climate variables: academic press, teacher professionalism, and community engagement. The quality of facilities was uncorrelated to proportion of students receiving free and reduced priced meals, although the quality of facilities was strongly related to resource support. Finally, results confirmed the hypothesis that school climate plays a mediating role in the effects of the quality of school facilities on student achievement.
