Resources for Supporting Implementation of the Student Well-Being Survey at the School Level

• In Event: Use Your Voice: Harnessing Student Voice Data in a Large Urban District

Abstract

Objectives or Purpose:
Describe the need for creating resources to support SWBS implementation
Describe the process and purpose for creating each resource
Describe the strategies used to build awareness of the resources
Share impact of resources at the school level

Perspectives or theoretical framework: Because the student well-being survey is a new tool for our district, we used implementation science principles to drive the process and supports created to ensure the materials and the impacts were relevant and useful to our stakeholder groups (Hamilton & Finlye, 2020; Hovmand & Gillespie, 2010; Lyon, 2016; Proctor et al., 2011).

Methods, techniques or modes of inquiry: A diverse Student Well-being Survey Working Group was convened to meet regularly to discuss and problem-solve implementation successes and challenges. The working group solicited feedback from stakeholder groups through surveys and focus groups). We used survey participation and outcome data to also drive appropriate support and planning.

Data sources, evidence, objects, or materials: Data sources include quantitative measures such as school adoption rates, student participation rates, and student responses. We also used qualitative measures to collect relevant information, or street data (Dugan & Safir, 2021), on implementation metrics such as acceptability, feasibility and fidelity. This paper will also detail examples of the many tools and resources developed by the team to address identified barriers to implementation.

Results and/or substantiated conclusions or warrants for arguments/points of view: We found that with relevant supports, schools were able to increase participation rates such that data trends that emerged from survey results were meaningful and actionable.

Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work: This paper represents a contribution to the literature on facilitators of implementation in education contexts. The SWBS survey was created to address a need to better understand and address how students are feeling about their experiences and relationships at school. Using implementation science methods and outcomes, we have been able to provide adequate supports to schools to increase user buy-in, create robust implementation systems for administration and data analysis, and use the data trends to be directly responsive to student voice.

Authors

• Lauren K. Thomas, The School District of Philadelphia

• Shannon Ellis, The School District of Philadelphia

• Abigail Gray, TRAILS