Speak Out, Listen Up! Tools for Using Student Perspectives and Local Data for School Improvement

Title:	Speak Out, Listen Up! Tools for Using Student Perspectives and Local Data for School Improvement
Description:	Listening closely to what students say about their school experiences can be beneficial to educators for understanding and addressing school-related topics and problems and rethinking policies and practices. The purpose of this toolkit is to provide educators with a purposeful and systematic way to elicit and listen to student voice to inform school improvement efforts. School improvement is complex work that relies on multiple sources of information to frame challenges and address and monitor change efforts. Student voice brings an additional, important source of information to these efforts. The toolkit offers three tools. ASK (Analyzing Surveys with Kids) involves students in analyzing and interpreting survey results associated with a school-related topic or problem and then producing suggestions for school improvement. Inside-Outside Fishbowl organizes a special kind of focus group in which students and educators trade roles as speakers and listeners during a facilitated discussion of a school-related topic or problem, and jointly develop an action plan. S4 (Students Studying Students’ Stories) guides a digital storytelling process in which students produce and analyze videotaped interviews of other students about a school-related topic or problem and then host forums with educators to suggest improvements. The toolkit includes detailed information about how the tools work, the questions they address, the number and types of participants needed, the amount of time required, space and materials considerations, and directions for using the tools. It also includes a tool template so schools and districts can create new student voice tools for their particular needs and interests.
Online Availability:	Download, view and print the report as a pdf file. (392KB)
Cover Date:	July 2014
Web Release:	July 29, 2014
Print Release:	July 29, 2014
Publication #:	REL 2014035 General Ordering Information
Center/Program:	REL
Associated Centers:	NCEE
Authors:	Jennifer Harris, Laura Davidson, Ben Hayes, Kelly Humphreys, and Paul LaMarca: Washoe County School District BethAnn Berliner, Leslie Poynor, and Lori Van Houten: REL West at WestEd
Type of Product:	Tools
Keywords:	Data Interpretation Local Education Agency (Lea) Schools • school improvement Students Youth Survey
Questions:	For questions about the content of this Tools, please contact: Amy Johnson.