Teacher Support and the School Engagement of Latino Middle and High School Students at Risk of School Failure

This investigation examined the effects of social support from teachers on the school engagement of middle and high school Latino students identified as being at risk of school failure. Regression analyses indicated that social support from teachers is an important factor in affective and behavioral aspects of school engagement. Specifically, teachers exerted an important effect on school engagement, beyond the effect of parental support. This paper discusses the implications of these findings for developing more effective dropout-prevention interventions for Latino students.