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The Association Between Perceived Discriminatory Climate in School and Student Performance in Math and Reading: A
Gülseli Baysu1, Orhan Agirdag2, Jozefien De Leersnyder2
1Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK. g.baysu@qub.ac.uk.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
|December 8, 2022
Summary
Schools with discriminatory climates negatively impact adolescent academic performance for all students. This effect is partly explained by reduced school belonging and lower value placed on learning, affecting both minority and majority groups.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Sociology of Education
- Cross-cultural Psychology
Background:
- Perceived ethnic discrimination negatively impacts adolescent adjustment.
- The effects of school-wide discriminatory climates on academic performance are less understood.
- This study examines the link between perceived school discriminatory climates and academic outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between perceived school discriminatory climates and academic performance in adolescents.
- To identify psychological mechanisms mediating this relationship.
- To analyze these associations across ethnic minority and majority groups globally.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
- Included 445,534 adolescents (aged 15-16) from 60 countries.
- Analyzed student perceptions of teachers' discriminatory beliefs and behaviors in relation to academic scores.
Main Results:
- A discriminatory school climate was linked to lower math and reading scores for all students.
- Adolescents from ethnic minority groups perceived more discriminatory climates.
- Lower school belonging and perceived value of learning partially mediated the negative impact on academic performance.
Conclusions:
- Schools' ethnic and racial climates significantly predict academic performance.
- Interventions addressing school climate may improve academic outcomes for all students.
- Reducing discrimination in schools is crucial for equitable educational attainment.
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