Youth Participatory Action Research and School Improvement: Tensions and Possibilities

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the tensions and possibilities future school administrators face when they collaborate with students in school improvement efforts. The benefits of youth participatory action research (YPAR) for student learning and empowerment are well-documented, but youth voices have not been foregrounded in school improvement. A focus of administrative preparation programs in California is that candidates understand how to lead schools in cycles of continuous improvement. In this study, ten candidates in a university administrative services credential program will engage youth in dialogue and action as key stakeholders in determining school equity gaps, root causes, and solutions. These candidates will then share insights to illuminate how YPAR deepens and complicates stakeholder participation in school improvement.

Author

• Sarah Rapp, Sonoma State University