This paper summarizes a study that involved ethnographic research and a survey on how home climate, school climate, and interaction between the two might affect learning and behavior of students of different racial/ethnic groups, sex, and socioeconomic background. Major findings include: differences in student absences, academic achievement, and social ratings by race/ethnic group, socioeconomic class, sex, and school; similarities in home climate perceotions within ethnic groups; differences in school climate perceptions among students attending different schools; independent school and home climate effects (disregarding race/ethnic group, class, or sex) on school outcomes; and variously favorable or unfavorable effects of discrepancies between home and school climate perceptions on school outcomes, depending on the groups and factors being considered. The importance of improving student outcomes by general school climate improvement is emphasized. (MJL)