- Collection:
- Atlanta University and Clark Atlanta University Theses and Dissertations
- Title:
- An examination of the relationship between school climate and elementary student out-of-school suspension in a suburban metropolitan school-district, 2000
- Creator:
- Atwater, Henry T.
- Date of Original:
- 2000-05-01
- Subject:
- Degrees, Academic
Dissertations, Academic - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, 33.749, -84.38798
- Medium:
- theses
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- application/pdf
- Description:
- This study examined the relationship between school climate and out-of-school elementary student suspension in a metropolitan school district. The increase of student antisocial behavior in schools has become prevalent in urban and rural school districts. School climate seems to be the key to reducing out-of-school suspension. School climate and its eight indicators were the independent variables, out-of-school suspension was the dependent variable, and socioeconomic status (SES) was a modifying variable. The suspension rates for the schools surveyed were from the 1997-98 to 1998-99 school years, and the rates were per 100 students. The 15 schools surveyed were in three distinct categories of SES: high, middle, and low. The certified staff members at each school completed surveys and returned them to the building principal. The survey was a modified version of Dr. Michael and Donna O'Neal's Diagnostic Inventory for School Climate (DISC). Data were analyzed using the Pearson product-moment correlation technique. Additionally, a stepwise multiple regression was instrumental in indicating which climate indicators had the strongest influence on out-of-school student suspension. Findings indicated a relationship existed between school climate and out-of-school suspension in many areas. When indicators of school climate decreased the out-of- school suspensions at that particular school increased. This trend was true at all SES levels in this research. The SES level was the main indicator in determining schools with high suspension rates, according to the multiple regression data. The conclusions drawn from the findings suggest that there is a significant relationship between school climate and out-of-school suspension. Results also indicate that as climate indicators increase the out-of-school suspension rates decrease, and as climate indicators decrease out-of�school suspensions increase. School climate is a key factor in decreasing the out-of-school suspension rates at all schools, regardless of SES of the school. School climate is a very powerful factor that can affect teachers, students, and parents at the local school level and should be continuously monitored.
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12322/cau.td:2000_atwater_henry_t
- Rights Holder:
- Clark Atlanta University
- Holding Institution:
- Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library
- Rights:
-
