School climate and student achievment in Greek higher secondary schools (Eniaia Lykeia) : a hierarchical statistical analysis

Abstract

This paper examines the relation between the academic achievement of Greek ‘eniaio lykeio’ students and their teachers’ views of school climate. It has been found that this relation, important as it may be, is being obscured by other factors found in the organisational and social domain. ‘Eniaio lykeio’ (EL) is the Greek comprehensive higher secondary school which was established in 1998 by the latest educational law. Initially the authors discuss the main characteristics of the Greek school system, emphasizing on special issues like the shadow educational system of ‘parapaideia’. The issue of ‘school climate’ is then approached in its historical development both from an organizational and a psychological perspective. In terms of research design 223 teachers from 38 Athenian ‘eniaia lykeia’ participated and completed the Confidential Teacher Questionnaire. Exploratory Factor Analysis (GLS, oblimin) yielded the following five factors: (a) director’s effectiveness, (b) self-regulation, (c) collegiality, (d) job satisfaction, and (e) keenness. These factors have had small impact on students’ achievement (normalised mean grade in the EL leaving certificate) as the impact of parents’ socioeconomic status is much larger. Finally the hierarchical linear analysis yielded a very small value for the intra-school correlation coefficient (ρ =0.025).