Designing a caring classroom community: a propensity score matching study

Factors that support learner engagement and achievement are vast. School learning environments can promote care for learners. The present year-long study examined the Designed Caring Classroom Intervention in 17 s grade classrooms in a large school district. To examine the effect of the intervention on second grade learners’ mathematics and reading achievement on (N = 568), propensity score matching statistical techniques were employed. The intervention included designing the physical learning environment to be learner centered. Each classroom in the treatment group had a designated calm corner to support students’ social emotional needs and followed curricular approaches to support a positive and caring learning environment. For second grade students in the intervention group (n = 302), absenteeism and behavioral referrals predicted students’ mathematics assessment scores (F_{(3, 551)} = 34.210, p < .001), accounting for approximately 16% of the variance. Measured in weeks, those in the treatment group outperformed those in the control group by two to two- and one-half weeks. Implications for practice are discussed.