The Importance of Student Voice
Schools continue to struggle to help students reach proficiency levels post-pandemic. In response, during the Pandemic, the US Department of Education returned to a concept called Opportunity To Learn (OTL), highlighting the importance of collecting data to understand gaps and how best to meet student needs. This, then, can influence student achievement.
Originally, this concept focused on the overlap between what is learned and what is tested. But over the last several decades, OTL has expanded to understand that student learning goes beyond just what happens in the classroom. It includes everything from curriculum and teacher effectiveness to learning environment and school climate.
One of the missing pieces of OTL, though, has been feedback from students (of all ages).
Why student feedback matters in shaping school culture and academic outcomes:
Understanding student perceptions about their teachers, learning environment, academic rigor, school safety (bullying), educational opportunities, and sense of belonging can help your school and school district take meaningful actions.
Here’s why student voice matters:
Strengthens student belonging and agency:
Long gone are the days when students arrived, sat quietly at their desks, and got to work. Young people now are more empowered than ever to voice their opinions. School leaders have a unique opportunity to harness these opinions and use them to better understand the student experience. When students are asked their opinions, and this feedback is acted on, they feel valued and connected.
Improves classroom and school culture:
It’s hard to tap into what’s really happening within classrooms and schools at times. Anonymous student feedback can reveal gaps in student learning conditions within schools and classrooms. It can help surface what’s working and what isn’t. It can highlight discrepancies in how different demographic groups experience school (second language learners, low-income learners, etc.) This will provide the school with information it needs to align its norms, beliefs, and practices with students’ lived experiences.
Empowers responsive teaching and improved outcomes
When teachers (or schools) gather student feedback, they can adjust instruction, the classroom environment, or practices to better meet diverse students’ needs. Student feedback and perceptions can help create a continuous cycle of improvement, strengthening student-teacher relationships. This leads to improved academic outcomes
Strengthens the link between culture and academic outcomes
An inclusive school culture where feedback, belonging, and student voice are valued is correlated with higher motivation and better performance. Studies show culture influences both teacher and student behaviors, which impact outcomes.
How student perspectives drive meaningful change
School culture and climate don’t “just happen”. They are built and formed by the entire educational community, including teachers, superintendents, administrators, families, and students. Students are a key piece of the puzzle when understanding a school climate and the unique needs of not only different schools and school districts but also departments and classrooms within a school.
Student perspectives are fundamental in creating equitable learning environments. When schools act on student feedback, they improve student-teacher relationships, improve the school culture and climate, and, in turn, academic outcomes.
Simply put, when students are heard, schools improve.
