Multilevel multitrait–multimethod latent analysis of structurally different and interchangeable raters of school climate.

Abstract

Informant-based systems of assessment are common platforms for measuring a variety of educational and psychological constructs where the use of multiple informants is considered best practice. In many instances, structurally different informant types (e.g., students and teachers) are solicited on the basis of their unique roles with the target of measurement. The use of multiple informants provides an opportunity to evaluate the degree to which the obtained ratings are influenced by the trait of focus and extraneous sources that can be attributed to the rater. Data from a multilevel multitrait-multimethod design in which students (N = 35,565) and teachers (N = 9,112), from 340 middle schools, responded to items measuring 3 dimensions of school climate were evaluated through a multilevel correlated trait-correlated method latent variable model. Results indicated that ratings of school climate obtained by students and teachers demonstrated high levels of convergent validity, and that school-level ratings obtained by students and teachers were equitable in the assessment of teasing and bullying. Student ratings of support and structure yielded somewhat stronger evidence of convergent validity than ratings obtained by teachers as revealed by their respective trait factor loadings. This was explained in part by the higher levels of common method effects that were observed for teachers.

The Impact of School Climate and School Identification on Academic Achievement: Multilevel Modeling with Student and Teacher Data

“…As the introduction revealed, studies integrating multiple school climate perspectives are relatively rare in the school climate field (Thapa et al, 2013 ; Wang and Degol, 2015 ). Using multiple informants is considered “best practice” when measuring educational and psychological constructs (Konold and Cornell, 2015 ). Hence, this study has enriched the school climate field by including student and staff perspectives, answering research calls for measuring school climate from different perspectives (Thapa et al, 2013 ; Liu et al, 2014 ).…”

Examining the Relationship Between School Climate and Peer Victimization Among Students in Military-Connected Public Schools

“…The CHKS is comprised of only student self-reported items. Objective measures of school climate such as presence of police officers, video surveillance systems, average years of teachers' experience and student-teacher ratio could have been beneficial to the measurement of school climate in this study (Konold & Cornell, 2015). Last, the sample for this study were students in school districts that were part of a consortium of military-connected districts aimed at improving school climate for militaryconnected students.…”

A latent class analysis of school climate among middle and high school students in California public schools

“…experienced by students (Konold & Cornell, 2015). In addition, while educational researchers have documented differential academic achievement and outcomes by race and gender, researchers have not systematically explored how different groups of students (i.e.…”

“…This approach aims to examine how different school climate constructs influence outcomes. The variable centered approach is limited in capturing heterogenous patterns of school climate, specifically how different components of school climate coalesce among students (Gage et al, 2014;Konold & Cornell, 2015). Latent class analysis (LCA) is an exploratory person centered approach that assumes a categorical latent factor.…”