Fostering Student Engagement in the Midwest
States across the country face a growing need to improve student outcomes and reduce chronic absenteeism.
Student engagement can address both challenges. This evidence-based lever has strong links to students’ academic outcomes, attendance, and connectedness at school. Through student engagement, state education agencies can drive meaningful gains in student achievement and attendance.
The Midwest Comprehensive Center is partnering with education leaders in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin to align student engagement initiatives though a new community of practice (CoP). The CoP will give state education agencies space to solve problems together and create meaningful guidance and supports for their partners at local levels.
Midwest CC will support the CoP by:
- Facilitating knowledge building and peer exchange sessions;
- Providing one-on-one coaching to participants; and
- Synthesizing key strategies in a report designed to help state education agencies provide evidence-based guidance at local levels.
Through knowledge building, collaboration, and coaching, the student engagement CoP will equip education leaders at state and local levels through the Midwest with evidence-based tools, resources, and strategies they can use to improve academic outcomes and reduce chronic absenteeism.
What is student engagement?
Student engagement is a multifaceted approach characterized by behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. Student engagement is a key element of a positive school climate, and includes the level of interest, involvement, and active participation a student demonstrates in the learning process:
- Students are behaviorally engaged through consistent attendance, assignment completion, class preparation, and participating in class and school activities.
- Students are emotionally engaged when they like school and have a sense of belonging.
- Students are cognitively engaged when they want to do well in school.
Reports
Supporting Student Engagement: Practical Strategies for State Education Agencies
This tip sheet, codeveloped with the state education agency (SEA) staff who participated in the Student Engagement CoP, is designed for SEA leaders and staff who are working to strengthen student engagement across their states. It provides practical strategies, lessons learned, and state resources examples shared by SEA staff in the Midwest region to support this work. The resource highlights six key strategies to help SEAs promote supportive learning environments, provide guidance to districts and schools, and improve student engagement outcomes. Reflection questions and additional resources are included to support planning, implementation, and continuous improvement.
