INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Educational process of development occurs in the physical, social, cultural and psychological environment. A proper and adequate environment is very much necessary for a fruitful learning of the child. The child spends most of his time in school, and here his environment is exerting a different influence on performance through curricula, teaching techniques and relationship (Lawrence, 2012). School safety, academic climate, and the community are the different dimensions of school environment which help improve student’s performance, attendance and retention in schools. Regardless of how it has been defined over the years, to a greater or lesser extent, all research on school climate finds a positive correlation between better school environment and increased student learning and achievement. In this context, a study was conducted by the researcher with an objective to comprehend the influence of school environment on the academic performance of students. School environment can have a favorable influence on the health of the learning environment or a significant barrier to learning. (Freiberg 1998). It has a significant impact on mental health and socio-emotional well-being, academic achievement and behavioral outcomes of students. The present study was accomplished on 120 respondents. For the study, twelve high schools of Mysore was selected using stratified random sampling, and twelve students from each school were selected, and Simple descriptive statistics were used. School climate survey was administered, where questions focusing on various elements of school climate were asked. The study concludes highlighting the need for a positive school environment which fosters the well-being of students in schools