Students’ sense of belonging impacts their school attendance, engagement, and long-term success, according to a new report from the Fund for Educational Excellence.
The report also offers recommendations for how educators and district leaders can improve and support their students.
The Fund for Educational Excellence is a Baltimore nonprofit that focuses on ensuring children in Baltimore City Public Schools receive an effective and equitable education.
Their full-length report, Seen and Heard: How Student Belonging Shapes School Communities and Student Success, is the result of a year-long mixed-methods study that surveyed more than 1,000 students and family members, interviewed students, parents, and school leaders, and included an in-depth analysis of data. Researchers hoped to learn what fostered a sense of connection between students and their school communities, and what actions helped students feel seen, heard, valued, and safe in their school environments.
“Belonging is the foundation of a successful school experience,” said Roger Schulman, president and chief executive officer at the Fund for Educational Excellence. “When students feel connected to their school communities, they are more likely to attend regularly, engage in extracurriculars, and pursue meaningful pathways after graduation. Real growth happens only when students feel they belong,” Schulman added. “Prioritizing student belonging enables the district to address challenges like chronic absenteeism and achievement gaps in a meaningful and lasting way.”
Researchers identified four key themes: student-staff relationships, safety, effective communication, and extracurricular activities.
Student-staff relationships are crucial. While every relationship impacts students, connections between students and the staff around them have particularly powerful sway over their sense of belonging and value.
Safety is essential. If students are concerned about their safety, either physical or emotional, they must divert their mental resources toward navigating that, rather than concentrating on fully engaging in learning. Without safety, students cannot build trust and connection with others.
Effective communication is another key component to student success, regardless of how challenging this sometimes feels. Clear and supportive communication between schools and families is critical, as well.
Extracurricular activities matter. For many students and families, extracurricular opportunities are a vital part of the school experience. An entirely different type of interaction with other students and staff takes place in these settings that can make a large difference in a student’s sense of belonging and ability to succeed in other areas.
The report highlights disparities in student belonging based on race and socioeconomic factors as well. Students who identified as Black or an “other race” were not as likely to report feeling connected as their white or Hispanic peers were. Similarly, students at high-poverty schools reported lower levels of belonging than students at schools with more financial security.
“Addressing student belonging in an equitable way means acknowledging that disparities are real,” Schulman added. “In an ideal school system, belonging would not depend on a school’s resources or an exceptional educator—it would be a standard experience for every student. We need to implement specific, equitable strategies to make that vision a reality.”
The study’s results and key themes that emerged led the Fund to recommend four tangible ways City Schools could strengthen student belonging in equitable ways:
- Support student-teacher relationships
- Prioritize school safety and anti-bullying efforts
- Enhance communication
- Expand extracurricular activities
To read the full-length report, including detailed key themes and findings, student and parent stories, and the Fund’s recommendations, visit this link.
