Navigating Minds, Igniting Hearts: A District’s Approach to Student-Centered Evaluation

• In Event: Engaging Stakeholders in Evaluations for Systems Improvement and Equitable Outcomes

Abstract

Youth participatory research recognizes young people as assets (Zeldin, Christen, & Powers, 2013; Richards-Schuster & Elliott, 2019). By engaging youth in the research process, researchers can develop a more comprehensive understanding of young people’s experiences. This case study in a small, urban school district is from a formative evaluation of district-wide programming on social and emotional learning. The evaluation used a participatory approach with stakeholder and student engagement. This paper describes evaluation processes used to engage students, provides lessons learned by the research team, and shares guidance for future research and practice. Involving youth not only enhanced the evaluation’s methods and allowed the research team to capture rich data, but also gave an opportunity for participants to develop valuable skills.

Authors

• James Libresco, Alexandria City Public Schools

• Manolya Tanyu, American Institutes for Research

• Jennifer Leigh Whitson, Alexandria City Public Schools