about LEADERSHIPSUMMITS
Why Student Leadership for School Improvement?
We encourage schools to create a Student Leadership Team that will work with school administrators, teachers, and other supportive groups.
This team’s task will be to improve school climate, school safety, and the success of all students. We have found that properly designed teams that receive appropriate adult support can have powerful effects on their peers and their schools.
Team ‘membership or composition’ is a critical element of an effective student leadership team. Effective teams are highly diverse and representative. They reflect all social, racial/ethnic, and academic groups that make up the student body.
Students Offer a ‘Reality Check’ for Schools
The CSCL specializes in school climate improvement, made possible through youth leadership development. To understand how safe, respectful and engaging schools really are, just ask the students. Then ask the adults and compare their perceptions. We teach schools to empower diverse teams of students and adult leaders to work together to better understand their schools and to bring about powerful changes in school climate, safety, respect, and learning.
Student Leadership Drives School Improvement
An evaluation of our work by Clemson University’s National Dropout Prevention Center showed that our student leadership teams were helping to “drive” school improvement forward in 10 NH high schools. In 36 schools in Tennessee, the superintendent said, “Things really started to happen when the students got involved.” The students’ stories are compelling. The school-wide data they collect about school safety, climate and learning bring to light areas that require immediate attention and improvement. Student leaders work collaboratively with adult leaders to develop data-driven action plans and help adults implement powerful projects that result in safer, more respectful, more engaging, and more successful schools.
Sign up for our newsletter!