ASCD, The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Resource Clearinghouse

Healthy | Safe | Engaged | Supported | Challenged

Engaged

Learn more about what it means to be engaged.

For a guide to the Resource Clearinghouse, please click here.

Major Reports and Books

  • Personalizing the High School Experience for Each Student. DiMartino, J. and Clarke, J., ASCD, 2008. (book for purchase, sample chapters available online) In research over the last decade, educators have learned to identify six areas in which high schools begin to fail their students. DiMartino and Clarke examine these six problem areas, allowing readers to look at personalized learning in several different ways and offering six ways to engage students and prevent any from believing they are stupid.
  • Engaged for Success: Service-Learning as a Tool for High School Dropout Prevention. Civic Enterprises, 2008. (PDF, 32 pgs.) This report posits that because service-learning brings meaning to classroom lessons and engages students in hands-on activities, students who participate are less likely to drop out.
  • Organized Communities, Stronger Schools: A Preview of Research Findings. Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, 2008. (PDF, 33 pgs.) The Annenberg Institute for School Reform has released a preview of findings from a six-year study that show the positive impact of effective community organizing on education reform in seven urban communities. The study demonstrates that community organizing contributes to an improved learning environment and improved educational outcomes for students and stimulates important changes in policy, practices, and resource distribution that expand equity and capacity at the system level, especially in historically underserved communities.
  • Educating for Democracy: Lessons from Chicago. Consortium on Chicago School Research, 2008. (PDF, 20 pgs.) This summary report of research conducted in Chicago Public Schools concludes that providing particular kinds of classroom civic learning opportunities can very meaningfully support the development of students' commitments to civic participation.
  • Educational Engagement: A Successful Strategy for Academic and Civic Achievement and Success. Education Commission of the States, 2007. (PDF, 4 pgs.) This issue of The Progress of Education Reform examines the benefits of student engagement on achievement and implications for policymakers.
  • Core Principles for Engaging Young People in Community Change. Forum for Youth Investment and Impact Strategies, 2007. (PDF, 32 pgs.) Important but simple youth engagement principles for a wide range of organizations, including schools, youth organizations, or community centers that want to strengthen their commitment to youth leadership, or community-change focused organizations or coalitions that want to strengthen their commitment to youth involvement.
  • Business Coalition Leaders Speak out on Education. DeHavilland Associates with the Business/Education Partnership Forum, 2007. (PDF, 18 pgs.) A detailed report of key findings from a survey of business coalition leaders on their experiences working with schools and districts.
  • A New Day for Learning. Time, Learning, and Afterschool Task Force, 2007. (PDF, 48 pgs.) Funded by the C.S. Mott Foundation, this report calls for collaboration between schools, communities, and families to create seamless learning throughout a child's day--in and out of school.
  • Voices of Students on Engagement: A Report on the 2006 High School Survey of Student Engagement. The High School Survey of Student Engagement, Indiana University, 2006. (PDF, 12 pgs.) Survey results from more than 80,000 students in over 100 schools across 26 states.
  • All Together Now: Sharing Responsibility for the Whole Child. ASCD, 2006. (PDF, 23 pgs.) This paper discusses strategies policymakers and educators can use to provide a more balanced education for students.
  • Wingspread Declaration: A National Strategy for Improving School Connectedness. The Journal of School Health, 2004. (PDF, 2 pgs.) This document provides insights and strategies to improve school connectedness, based on a review of research and a discussion among a group of school leaders.
  • The First Amendment in Schools. ASCD, 2003. (book, available for purchase, 205 pgs.) This book is a resource for educators on the First Amendment, with answers to 90 of the most critical questions.
  • Learning to Listen: Core Principles for the Involvement of Children and Young People. Children and Young People's Unit, 2001. (PDF, 40 pgs.) This document from the British government puts forth principles for engaging young people "in the planning, delivery and evaluation of government policies and services."

Articles and Briefs

  • Reaching the Reluctant Learner. Educational Leadership, ASCD, 2008 (web publication) Educational Leadership magazine shares numerous articles on how students can be more effectively motivated and engaged in learning.
  • At Your Service. Educational Leadership, ASCD, 2008. (web article) A middle school literacy coach in a high poverty school describes her efforts to engage her reluctant learners through service-learning. The article includes resources for implementing service-learning.
  • Expanding Pathways: Transforming High School Education in California. ConnectEd, 2008. (PDF, 42 pgs.) This policy paper lays out a vision for creating multiple pathways for students, largely through expanding career and technical education opportunities.
  • Epstein's Six Types of Involvement. National Network of Partnership Schools, n.d. (web resource) Joyce Epstein's framework of six types of involvement for families helps schools and communities develop comprehensive programs of school, family, and community partnership. Includes a brief summary of the benefits of each type of involvement for students, families, and teachers.
  • Why Tests Aren't Enough. Is It Good For the Kids?, ASCD, 2007. (web column) Multiple measures of assessment are important to supplement traditional tests and provide a clearer picture of learning.
  • Help Us Care Enough to Learn. Educational Leadership, ASCD, 2006. (web article, available for purchase) Interviews with 65 students across the country reveal what high school students need to become engaged in their schools.
  • High School Reform: What Will It Take to Engage Teens? Is It Good For the Kids?, ASCD, 2006. (web column) As U.S. schools work to reduce the dropout rate, creative approaches, such as school-community partnerships and career academies, are helping to increase student engagement.
  • First-Class Citizens. Edutopia, The George Lucas Foundation, 2005. (web article) An article and video clip highlight Hudson High School (Massachusetts) and its work to engage students in decision making and provide personalized learning opportunities
  • A Case for School Connectedness. Educational Leadership, ASCD, 2005. (web article) This article cites research showing that students are more likely to succeed when they feel connected to school, and offers advice for schools to increase connectedness.
  • Schooling for a Democratic Society. Education Update, ASCD, 2005. (web article) This article describes the First Amendment Schools project, in which schools cultivate "scholar activists."
  • A Vision for Public Schools: Academics Is Not Enough. Is It Good For the Kids?, ASCD, 2005. (web column) Dr. Gene Carter argues that the goal of schools must be to develop students who are civically engaged as well as academically successful.
  • Community Schools: Educators and Community Sharing Responsibility for Student Learning. ASCD InfoBrief, ASCD, 2004. (web article) This article offers strategies for policymakers and educators looking to establish and grow community schools, which offer a range of academic, health, recreational, and social services.

Websites

  • Learn and Serve America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse. A comprehensive website with research, tip sheets, event information, and service-learning ideas for schools, communities, and families.
  • National Association of Student Councils. Sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, this organizations shares project ideas, advisor toolkits, scholarships, contests, and more for student leaders and their adult sponsors.
  • Harvard Family Research Project. The Harvard Graduate School of Education shares comprehensive research and articles about family engagement during and after school.
  • Parent/Home Involvement in Schools. The Center for Mental Health in Schools shares quick, online resources for research and best practices in parent andhome involvement.
  • School Citizenship Climate Assessment. An assessment instrument developed by the ECS National Center for Learning and Citizenship and the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools to measure characteristics of the school and classroom that relate to civic competencies.
  • ASCD Brain-Compatible Learning Network. Connect with other educators interested in how brain research translates into learning, teaching, and leadership practices.
  • First Amendment Schools. Learn about this national reform initiative designed to transform how schools teach and practice the rights and responsibilities of citizenship that frame civic life in our democracy.
  • ASCD Problem-Based Learning Network. Hosted by the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, this network provides resources for and connects educators using problem-based learning strategies.