New Survey Tracks Student Views on Hope, Engagement, Wellbeing
San Francisco, CA — June 11, 2013 — Gallup and GreatSchools are launching a new partnership to bring a crucial — and often missing — voice into national discussions about school quality and education success: the voice of America’s students.
Through this innovative partnership, Gallup will gather the perspectives of thousands of public school students in grades 5 through 12 and GreatSchools, the leading national online school guide, will share those insights on its profiles of K-12 schools. The Gallup Student Poll is a landmark new survey tracking the hope, engagement, and wellbeing of public school students across the U.S.
“Hope, engagement, and wellbeing are key factors that have been shown to drive students’ grades, achievement scores, retention, and success in future employment,” says Brandon Busteed, executive director of Gallup Education. “The Gallup Student Poll is an important way to inform discussions about education with the voices of students, who are too often not included. We’re excited about this partnership and the opportunity to bring these insights to the many families and educators who rely on GreatSchools.”
“The Gallup-GreatSchools partnership will help families, educators, and others better understand key factors that help students succeed, using insights from kids themselves,” says Bill Jackson, founder and CEO of GreatSchools. “Hope, engagement, and wellbeing connect to the future success of our kids, and also provide insights about school environments, which will help families consider whether a school is a good fit.”
In 2012, 1,700 public schools participated, enabling their students to take the free Gallup Student Poll. Beginning in fall 2013, the highest-scoring schools that take the Gallup Student Poll will receive a “Gallup Kids Approved” badge on their GreatSchools profiles.
Over a 10-year period, the Gallup Student Poll will use anonymous student surveys to measure:
- Hope — fuels problem solving and persistence, and helps students channel ideas and energy into producing positive outcomes.
- Engagement — includes factors like feeling welcomed, encouraged, and recognized for working hard.
- Wellbeing — measures how students are doing in multiple aspects of their lives, including their health, energy level and enjoyment.
About Gallup
Gallup experts work with leaders in education to hire and develop talented educators, identify the strengths of each student, and create engaging learning environments — fostering long-term student success in the classroom and in future careers. The best educators know that for students to achieve meaningful, lasting success in the classroom and beyond, they must be emotionally engaged in the educational experience. This means educators must focus on students’ hope, engagement, and wellbeing — the predictors Gallup has discovered matter the most. Measuring and moving the needle on these outcomes transforms educational institutions into places where students — and educators — thrive.
For more information, visit education.gallup.com, follow @GallupEducation, or contact Education@gallup.com.
About GreatSchools
Founded in 1998, GreatSchools is a national nonprofit that helps parents get a great education for their children. Our Webby award-winning website, GreatSchools.org, helps families make crucial decisions about where to live and where to send their children to school. GreatSchools.org is the nation’s leading guide to preK-12 schools, with profiles of 200,000 public and private schools and more than one million ratings and reviews by parents, teachers, and students. In addition, GreatSchools.org offers thousands of articles, videos, and worksheets that give parents practical ways to support their children’s learning. Last year we reached 44 million people, including half of all U.S. families with school-age children. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, GreatSchools has local chapters in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Washington, DC.
Follow @GreatSchools, like GreatSchools on Facebook at facebook.com/greatschools, or see what GreatSchools has to share on Pinterest at pinterest.com/greatschools.
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