Teacher support for students' psychological needs and student engagement: Differences across school levels based on a national teacher survey

Student engagement typically declines across development. Corresponding school level declines in teachers' use of need supportive practices is suspected to contribute. However, research has rarely examined this supposition. Using survey data collected in 2022 from a national sample of 954 full-time U.S. public-school teachers, results from structural equation modeling analyses suggested that secondary teachers reported using need supportive practices less than elementary teachers, which partly explained school level differences in teachers' perceptions of students' engagement. Relationships were consistent across teachers serving students of varying racial, income, and linguistic backgrounds. Results suggest that motivation support programs should target the secondary level.