Date of Graduation

5-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy (PhD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Political Science

Advisor/Mentor

Song, Geoboo

Committee Member

Kerr, Brinck III

Second Committee Member

Mitchell, Joshua

Third Committee Member

Schreckhise, William D.

Keywords

climate change; climate change risk perception; Cultural Theory; K-12 public school education; public opinion

Abstract

Climate change education in K-12 public schools is a highly debated and divisive policy issue, particularly in politically conservative states such as Arkansas, where ideological divisions often dominate and shape public attitudes and policy preferences. This dissertation examines the attitudes, preferences, and behavioral intentions of three key stakeholder groups, namely the policy elites, general public, and educators toward climate change education policies in K-12 public schools in the state of Arkansas. While political party affiliation is an important factor, this study explores a more nuanced relationship by considering the interplay of Cultural Theory, risk perception, trust in government, climate change related knowledge, and cognitive behavioral theories to understand the underlying drivers of climate education policy preferences beyond a partisan identity. The first chapter analyzes general preferences for climate change education in Arkansas’s K-12 public schools, examining how Cultural Theory, risk perception, and trust in government influence attitudes among local policy elites and the general public. The second chapter builds on this foundation by examining preferences for specific climate change education policies, assessing the nuanced relationship between Cultural Theory and risk perception. A central focus of this chapter is the distinction between individuals with high and low levels of perceived climate change risk. This analysis provides deeper insights into the mechanisms driving climate education policy preferences and identifies the conditions under which risk perception amplifies or mitigates partisanship divisions. Lastly, the third chapter shifts focus to Arkansas educators, street-level bureaucrats, responsible for implementing climate change education in K-12 public schools. It examines their behavioral intentions regarding climate change and climate change education, both as professionals and private citizens, analyzing what shapes their willingness to engage with climate change topics in the classroom and outside of it.

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