Spanning over the course of two decades, educational leaders have invested government finances into the social-emotional needs of adolescents, validating the concern of these specific educational needs. Government programs provide student questionnaires to survey the scholastic climate from students' perception. Previous research discusses the correlation between students' perception and their success in school due to fulfillment of their transescent needs. This research study ventured to distinguish a possible correlation between urban middle school students' perspective of feeling "cared-for" and their intrinsic motivation. The study surveyed eleven hundred adolescents in grades six through eight from Austintown Middle School. The students completed a survey which inquired about their perceptions. The first part of the survey was acquired from the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) and the second part of the survey to measure their intrinsic motivation was acquired from the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). The outcomes and interventions for school districts were discussed. There was statistical significance with students feeling cared for and having a similar or higher perception of their intelligence in comparison to their peers. There was also statistical significance within a positive correlation between how students perceive their academic environment and their intrinsic motivation. There was not statistical significance between socioeconomics and intrinsic motivation; student engagement leading to intrinsic motivation was a stronger factor. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]