Reactions to School Climate Vary by Students’ Races

A survey designed to gauge school climate has found that older students and those from some minority groups are more likely than their younger, white counterparts to have negative experiences in school.

“Where We Learn,” released last week by the Council of Urban Boards of Education, part of the Alexandria, Va.-based National School Boards Association, shows that feelings about school overall are positive. More than two-thirds of the 32,000 students surveyed said they enjoy learning at their schools, and eight in 10 said they plan to continue their education after high school.

How the students, who were in grades 4-12, answered questions in all five areas of inquiry—trust, respect, and caring at school; bullying; school safety; racial self-concept; and general school climate—correlated with age, and even...