Does school climate matter? The impact of mastery, performance and student voice climate on promoting school effectiveness

The study reported in this paper investigates the impact of four aspects of school climate (i.e. mastery learning climate, performance learning climate, student voice support and children's voice practices) on student learning outcomes. Drawing on panel data of the Children's School Lives national longitudinal study of Irish primary schooling, this paper investigates whether any of these aspects of school climate predict changes in schools' effectiveness status. Data from around 1500 students participating at each time point were analysed. School effectiveness was measured in terms of schools' contribution to student academic achievement in reading and mathematics, after controlling for student background characteristics. School climate constructs were measured using teacher reports, with construct validity and measurement invariance across time established. Multilevel modelling techniques were used to classify schools, at first, based on their effectiveness status at each time point, and subsequently, based on changes in their effectiveness status across time points (i.e. improvement, stability or decline). Discriminant function analyses investigate whether changes in school climate constructs predict changes in schools' effectiveness status. Mastery learning climate, student voice support and children's voice practices were found to predict changes in schools' effectiveness status across time periods and subjects. However, performance learning climate was found to have inconsistent effects. The results highlight the need for greater clarity in the conceptualisation of performance climate, as well as the importance of school-level interventions aimed at promoting mastery climate and student voice as strategies for school improvement.