Retrospective and current perceptions of classroom climate on engagement and achievement in high school

Previous studies have demonstrated a relation between classroom climate, school engagement, and academic achievement. Many of these studies focused on current placement and young students, either elementary or middle school. The present study focuses on the transition from middle school to high school, taking into consideration the formative nature of early adolescence. This study examined the relation between student perceptions of past and current classroom climates, and how each predicted current school engagement and academic achievement. Adapted versions of the Student Personal Perception of Classroom Climate were used, and students were asked to reflect on past and current experiences. Outcome measures included scores from an engagement scale and grades (GPA from academic classes). Ninth-grade students rated teachers as slightly more supportive than their peers. Student perceptions of their teachers remained similar from middle school to high school. Classroom climate, particularly current peer support, only moderately predicted engagement in high school. Teacher support was a better predictor of achievement, however the influence was not strong