Behind the Scenes: What Does it Take to Leverage Student Voice for Decision-Making in an RPP?

• In Event: Making the Invisible Visible: Dynamics, Processes, and Outcomes of Research-Practice Partnerships

Abstract

Centering student voice in Research Practice Partnerships (RPP) is a growing priority (National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships; Kahne et al., 2022), but there is limited research on RPP mechanisms that foster the authentic integration of student voice into district decision-making. This study investigates the process of one RPP to gather and integrate student perspectives to increase student participation, completion, and success in early post-secondary coursework. This study closely examines similarities and differences of RPP practices, interactions, and structures across three co-design schools and at the district level, exploring the impact on district and school level decision-making.
Co-design is a collaborative process in which data and evidence are used to develop, implement, assess, and revise practice and policy (Penuel, 2019). School level co-design teams met monthly between January 2024 and May 2025, facilitated by researchers and a district leader liaison serving as a broker (Wentworth, L., Arce-Trigatti, P., Conaway, C., & Shewchuk, S., 2023). The codesign teams engaged in improvement science methods (Bryk, A. S., Gomez, L. M., Grunow, A., & LeMahieu, P. G., 2015) and developed and implemented a student survey practical measure to understand student perspectives and beliefs about early post-secondary courses at their school. This mixed methods study uses quantitative and qualitative data, including student survey practical measurement data, school and district strategic plans, and co-design meetings artifacts (e.g. agendas, reflection documents, driver diagrams, and exit slips). We use an iterative inductive approach to synthesize data through reduction, organization, and connection to uncover major themes and patterns within and across sources (Thomas, 2006). Finding 1: Variation in how the student survey was administered at each school impacted data collection and data interpretation at each school, however the co-design structure allowed for networked learning across schools. Informed by student perspectives, each co-design school identified improving student communication as a key improvement strategy, but each school developed unique change ideas and implemented new communication strategies relevant for each site’s student population. Finding 2: The district broker role was critical for 1) sharing knowledge for survey development and administration between the school, the district, and researchers 2) building school- and district-level capacity for engaging in practical measurement work and 3) synthesizing learning for district leaders through summary memos and facilitating sensemaking and strategy conversations. Finding 3: Visual representations (e.g. the driver diagram) in combination with regularly scheduled discussions with senior executive leadership informed additions to a revised district’s strategic plan (launched in the summer of 2025). This study sheds light on practices, interactions, and structures in RPPs that have the potential to increase the integration of student voice into collaborative research and influence district policy and practice. This study highlights the importance of continuous improvement efforts to document the details of RPP mechanics and their impact on outcomes of interest. Learnings will inform the ongoing work of the RPP, as plans to implement a second practical measures survey and expand efforts to include six co-design school partners are underway.

Authors

• Brittaney Baker, NashvillePeer

• Emily Munn, Metro Nashville Public Schools

• Erin C. Henrick, Vanderbilt University