Hostile school climates: Explaining differential risk of student exposure to disruptive learning environments in high school

Using data from a national sample of 10,061 African American, Hispanic, and White 10th graders, in 659 U.S. high schools, this study examines whether students in certain school contexts may be more likely to experience hostility in school that is detrimental to the overall learning environment. The results from the hierarchical linear models indicate that students are more likely to experience disruptive classrooms in large and high-poverty schools. Students also report feeling less safe in large and public high schools. Additionally, this study finds the effect of student characteristics on the likelihood of experiencing verbal bullying in school varies by school characteristics. The results suggest that high-achieving African American and Hispanic students are more at risk of verbal harassment within predominantly minority schools.