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Re-Examining Measurement Invariance of School Climate Surveys across Race/Ethnicity

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Title: Re-Examining Measurement Invariance of School Climate Surveys across Race/Ethnicity
Language: English
Authors: Stephen M. Leach (ORCID 0000-0001-7366-8616), Jason C. Immekus, Jeffrey C. Valentine, Prathiba Batley, Dena Dossett, Tamara Lewis, Thomas Reece
Source: Assessment for Effective Intervention. 2025 50(2):72-96.
Availability: SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 25
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: School Surveys, Measurement, Hierarchical Linear Modeling, Educational Environment, Race, Ethnicity, Scores, Equal Education, Intervention, Educational Improvement, Test Validity, Test Interpretation, Evaluation Methods, Urban Schools, Public Schools, Middle School Students, Racial Differences
Geographic Terms: Kentucky (Louisville)
DOI: 10.1177/15345084251317427
ISSN: 1534-5084
1938-7458
Abstract: Educators commonly use school climate survey scores to inform and evaluate interventions for equitably improving learning and reducing educational disparities. Unfortunately, validity evidence to support these (and other) score uses often falls short. In response, Whitehouse et al. proposed a collaborative, two-part validity testing framework for research-practice teams to gather evidence on school climate instruments to substantiate score interpretations and uses to promote equitable school environments. This study extends their work by including approaches to gather evidence on content and predictive validity of obtained scores, beyond an instrument's internal structure, and using the alignment method to assess measurement invariance across student racial/ethnic groups. We demonstrate the procedure on a school climate survey developed by a large, urban U.S. public school district using data obtained on a sample of 6,423 Black and White middle school students. Results suggest that our expanded framework offers a more extensive, empirically based approach to gathering validity evidence on locally developed school climate measures. We discuss implications, limitations, and future directions for the development and use of school climate measures for decision-making.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1465805
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: Re-Examining Measurement Invariance of School Climate Surveys across Race/Ethnicity
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stephen+M%2E+Leach%22">Stephen M. Leach</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7366-8616">0000-0001-7366-8616</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jason+C%2E+Immekus%22">Jason C. Immekus</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jeffrey+C%2E+Valentine%22">Jeffrey C. Valentine</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Prathiba+Batley%22">Prathiba Batley</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dena+Dossett%22">Dena Dossett</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tamara+Lewis%22">Tamara Lewis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Thomas+Reece%22">Thomas Reece</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Assessment+for+Effective+Intervention%22"><i>Assessment for Effective Intervention</i></searchLink>. 2025 50(2):72-96.
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  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
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  Data: Y
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  Label: Page Count
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  Data: 25
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  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
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  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Surveys%22">School Surveys</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Measurement%22">Measurement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hierarchical+Linear+Modeling%22">Hierarchical Linear Modeling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Environment%22">Educational Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Race%22">Race</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnicity%22">Ethnicity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scores%22">Scores</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Equal+Education%22">Equal Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intervention%22">Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Improvement%22">Educational Improvement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Validity%22">Test Validity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Interpretation%22">Test Interpretation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation+Methods%22">Evaluation Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Urban+Schools%22">Urban Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Schools%22">Public Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Students%22">Middle School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Racial+Differences%22">Racial Differences</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kentucky+%28Louisville%29%22">Kentucky (Louisville)</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/15345084251317427
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
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  Data: 1534-5084<br />1938-7458
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Educators commonly use school climate survey scores to inform and evaluate interventions for equitably improving learning and reducing educational disparities. Unfortunately, validity evidence to support these (and other) score uses often falls short. In response, Whitehouse et al. proposed a collaborative, two-part validity testing framework for research-practice teams to gather evidence on school climate instruments to substantiate score interpretations and uses to promote equitable school environments. This study extends their work by including approaches to gather evidence on content and predictive validity of obtained scores, beyond an instrument's internal structure, and using the alignment method to assess measurement invariance across student racial/ethnic groups. We demonstrate the procedure on a school climate survey developed by a large, urban U.S. public school district using data obtained on a sample of 6,423 Black and White middle school students. Results suggest that our expanded framework offers a more extensive, empirically based approach to gathering validity evidence on locally developed school climate measures. We discuss implications, limitations, and future directions for the development and use of school climate measures for decision-making.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Label: Entry Date
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  Data: 2025
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: EJ1465805
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1465805
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        Value: 10.1177/15345084251317427
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      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 25
        StartPage: 72
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: School Surveys
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Measurement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hierarchical Linear Modeling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Race
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      – SubjectFull: Ethnicity
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      – SubjectFull: Intervention
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Improvement
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      – SubjectFull: Evaluation Methods
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      – SubjectFull: Urban Schools
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      – SubjectFull: Public Schools
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      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
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      – SubjectFull: Racial Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Kentucky (Louisville)
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      – TitleFull: Re-Examining Measurement Invariance of School Climate Surveys across Race/Ethnicity
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