Student Perceptions of Caring Adults in Schools: A Qualitative Multi-Case Study

Abstract

Although rates of school dropout have decreased over the past few decades, about two million individuals aged 16 to 24 did not complete their high school education in 2019. Notably, disparities exist within the number of students who do not complete their high school education. Given that the United States values higher education and there are well known negative outcomes associated with discontinuing one’s high school education, it is imperative to identify ways to reduce the number of students who do not complete their high school education. One way to do this is increasing the number of protective factors students have by focusing on the relationships with the adults at school. The current study used semi-structured interviews to explore ninth grade students’ relationships with the adults in their schools. Specifically, it investigated if students felt they had at least one caring adult present in their schools and the qualities and actions of those adults that demonstrated that they cared. A thematic analysis across participants highlighted the major themes that were present in the data and specific actions and qualities of teachers (e.g., uses eye contact, asks questions about students’ lives, remembers details about students). Moreover, a phenomenological approach revealed specific ways that participants have felt supported by adults in their school and how school would be different based on the number of caring adults present.