Belonging

13 Results Found

Research Report
The Civic Gap: How Schools Can Cultivate Student Voice and Participation

October 2026

Only 1 in 3 middle and high school students report strong opportunities for civic participation at school. What can educators and policymakers do to foster more engagement? Drawing on responses from nearly 140,000 middle and high school students and 10,000 teachers, this report identifies the conditions that make it possible for young people to develop the skills democracy will require of them. Read further for the full report.
- Belonging
- Student Voice & Agency
Research Report
If I Spoke Up: The Conditions That Shape Student Civic Voice

August 2026

What do young people want to speak up about and what does it take to help them feel heard and participate in civic life? Drawing on responses from more than 35,000 middle and high school students, this data brief explores what students would speak up about if included in important decisions and what their responses reveal about developing their civic voice. The findings highlight the critical role schools play in fostering the belonging, trust, and confidence students need to believe their voices matter. Read below for the full data brief.
- Belonging
- Student Voice & Agency
In the Press
K-12 Dive: Students feel Safer in School When Their Concerns Are Heard, YouthTruth Finds

March 2026

Dive Brief: Nearly 80% of elementary students and 75% of middle and high school students do not feel safe on school buses, while 67% of secondary…
In the Press
Giving Done Right podcast: David McKinney on Why Student Voice Matters

October 2025

What happens when education reform takes place without the input or engagement of the young people who will experience its effects? Conversely, what happens when…
In the Press
K-12 Dive: Most Students Lack School Belonging — a Bullying Deterrent

September 2025

Bullying rates declined during the pandemic’s remote learning period, with reports of incidents increasing as schools reopened. Bullying is also linked to school violence and…
- Belonging
- School Safety & Bullying
Research Report
The Anti-Bullying Report: Lessons from Students and Principals on Belonging, Respect, and Safer Schools

September 2025

Bullying is a persistent problem in U.S. schools, fueling distrust and debates over punishment, transfers, and prevention. Some states are trying extreme measures—ticketing parents or suspending bullies’ licenses—while Congress considers the STOP Bullying Act to fund state prevention efforts. Most districts review policies, but few have comprehensive plans, leaving gaps that students feel firsthand. Real change requires educators, policymakers, and parents to listen to students, focus on the most vulnerable, and build school cultures where safety and belonging aren’t optional.
Data & Research
Less Than Half of Students Feel a Sense of Belonging at School, New Anti-Bullying Report Says

September 2025

San Francisco, September 2, 2025 — Less than half of elementary, middle and high school students in the country feel a sense of belonging at their…
Research Report
Making Sense of Learning Math: Insights from the Student Experience

January 2024

Mathematics is an integral part of students’ daily lives, from marking the first 100 days of elementary school to the pivotal moment of crossing the threshold into Algebra 1. Math not only serves as the key that unlocks the doors to the sciences and technology but also empowers individuals personally. At the same time, math literacy stands as an undisputed public good, providing society with the indispensable tools needed to propel innovation and grapple with intricate societal challenges.
Research Report
Students Weigh In, Part IV: Learning & Well-Being After Covid-19

May 2023

What did students have to say about their learning, sense of belonging, mental health, and support from adults during the 2022-23 school year? How did these elements of social, emotional, and academic development change over the course of the pandemic? And how did experiences in 2022-23 differ across student demographic groups?
Partner News
YouthTruth Helps Capture the Immigrant Student Experience

May 2023

In 2023, YouthTruth partnered with Re-Imagining Migration and Harvard’s Immigration Initiative to produce a climate survey.
- Belonging
- School Culture

Learning During the Pandemic

In response to a stark lack of firsthand data about how students were faring during the COVID-19 pandemic, YouthTruth launched the Students Weigh In project in spring 2020. This series of reports draws upon data from over 500,000 secondary students across more than 600 schools and tracks how secondary students’ perceptions of learning and well-evolved across four time periods (spring 2020, fall 2020, spring 2021, and the 2022-23 school year) relative to the student experience prior to COVID-19.

Students Weigh In Series