dissertationEducational leaders have insisted that successful schools do more than meet the academic needs of students but also address the social, emotional, and psychological health of their student body. School leaders in low-performing institutions may view the pressure to boost academic achievement that comes from federal and state mandates and the push for schools to support whole-child development as competing agendas. However, school climate literature paints a different picture. Climate researchers insist that, if school leaders assess and address school climate needs, they can boost academic achievement and support positive social, emotional, and psychological development. There is a rich body of literature indicating the connection between school climate and student academic, social, and psychological well-being; however, the vast majority of these studies are quantitative and rely on correlational analyses. In 2007, the National School Climate Council asserted that they could not locate any systemic studies of school climate improvement. The purpose of this case study was to explore how the administration at one urban secondary school that underwent a state-mandated school improvement process addressed school climate. The school site central to this study was locally and nationally recognized for gains in student academic achievement. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with administration, district leaders, and educators as well as focus group interviews with teachers, staff members, and students. School improvement documents were also examined. Findings indicate that leadership efforts to ensure commitment to the improvement work, to enact meaningful instructional leadership practices, and to repair school structures and systems supported the school improvement process and addressed school climate
