School Climate: Assessing a Universal Intervention Design to Reduce Academic Risks and Educate the Whole Child.

BACKGROUND: Health and education are inherently connected. Minimizing risky behaviors is essential for students’ academic success and health outcomes. A positive school climate may reduce student risks and promote greater satisfaction and success with school. The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the associations between school climate, academic grades, substance initiation, and types of school absences in a group of middle school students who transition into high school. METHODS: Longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses were used to examine study variables from middle and high school students across 26 regional schools located in West Virginia. RESULTS: Students with positive perceptions of school climate demonstrated improved academic achievement (β = -0.45 to 0.30,