What changes when students help shape decisions that affect their learning?
Students know what helps them learn and what gets in their way. But how often do they help shape the decisions made about their education?
When students help identify challenges, examine their learning, and propose solutions, educators gain insights they might otherwise miss. Here are four ways to make students genuine partners in school improvement.
From Listening to Action
- Learn from student experiences. Create opportunities for students to share what supports their learning, where they encounter barriers and what they want educators to understand about their school experiences.
- Examine student work together. Use student work and evidence of learning to explore what students understand, where they need support and what educators might change in their practice.
- Include students in problem-solving. Invite students to help identify challenges, consider possible solutions and contribute perspectives that adults might otherwise overlook.
- Close the loop. Show students how their input informs decisions. Share what educators are trying, explain what they are learning and invite students to reflect on whether the changes are making a difference.
These practices help educators move from collecting student feedback to building genuine partnerships in improvement. They also connect student perspectives to the ongoing work of examining evidence, testing changes and monitoring progress toward better outcomes.
Make Student-Centered Improvement Part of Your Work With PLANS
No-cost support for educational leaders in CT, MA and RI
Want to make student input a meaningful part of your school’s improvement efforts? In Plan, Lead, Act, Network and Sustain (PLANS), CLEE provides coaching, training, and practical tools to help district and school teams strengthen the collaborative leadership and continuous improvement practices that connect school priorities to student outcomes. Coaching, professional learning, resources and ongoing support help educators engage their communities, learn from evidence and turn shared priorities into focused action.
This is the final year to join PLANS for paid professional learning
