Abstract

It is widely agreed among educational researchers and practitioners that schools with positive climates can effectively mitigate the influence of students’ and schools’ socioeconomic status (SES) on academic achievement. Nevertheless, the exact mechanisms by which this occurs are unclear. This study aimed to fill that gap, using a large-scale, nationally representative sample of student perceptions of school climate, student academic achievement, and student and school SES in Israel to develop a reliable and comprehensive assessment of the role of school climate in the relationship between student and school SES and achievement. Specifically study tested whether school climate has an additive contribution to academics beyond students’ and schools’ SES (compensation model), whether school’s SES influences its social climate which in turn influences academic achievement (mediation model), or whether the relationship between SES and academics changes across schools with different climates (moderation model). Findings indicate school climate plays an important role in accounting for achievements, beyond students’ and schools’ SES. Results highlight the need to improve school climate, especially in schools serving communities of low SES, to enhance social mobility and equality of opportunity.