Bang, H. J., Li, L., & Flynn, K. (2023). Efficacy of an adaptive game-based math learning app to support personalized learning and improve early elementary school students’ learning. Early Childhood Education Journal, 51, 717–732. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01332-3
This quasi-experimental study of kindergarten and first grade students (N = 986; 505 treatment, 481 control) finds that a program designed to create personalized learning experiences (My Math Academy) led to significantly greater math learning gains—especially for lower-performing students—and was associated with improved student engagement, motivation, and confidence, highlighting how tailored learning experiences can drive both stronger outcomes and more positive student experiences.

Borman, G. D., Choi, Y., & Hall, G. J. (2021). The impacts of a brief middle-school self-affirmation intervention help propel African American and Latino students through high school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(3), 605–620. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000570
This longitudinal experimental study of middle school students (N = 802–952) found that a brief self-affirmation intervention designed to improve students’ psychological and identity-related learning experiences reduced racial achievement gaps by 50% per year from grades 7–12 and by 42% overall by 12th grade, while also increasing on-time graduation rates by 10 percentage points, demonstrating that improving students’ day-to-day experiences of belonging and identity safety can drive substantial gains in academic outcomes and long-term success.

Burris, C. C., Welner, E. W. K., & Murphy, J. (2022). Accountability, Rigor, and Detracking: Achievement Effects of Embracing a Challenging Curriculum as a Universal Good for All Students. Teachers College Record, 110(3), 571-607. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146810811000301
This longitudinal quasi-experimental cohort study of students at a diverse suburban high school used logistic regression to compare pre- and post-detracking cohorts and found that providing all students with access to rigorous, high-track curriculum in heterogeneous classrooms significantly increased the likelihood of earning advanced diplomas (e.g., ~70% higher odds of IB attainment and up to 26× higher odds of Regents diplomas for some groups), demonstrating that equitable access to high-expectation, rigorous learning experiences can drive substantial gains in academic outcomes, particularly for historically underserved students.

Civitillo, S., Mayer, A.-M., & Jugert, P. (2024). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the associations between perceived teacher-based racial–ethnic discrimination and student well-being and academic outcomes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 116(5), 719–741. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000818
This systematic review and meta-analysis of 68 studies (259 effect sizes) examined the relationship between students’ perceptions of teacher-based racial–ethnic discrimination and outcomes, finding that more negative and inequitable classroom experiences were consistently associated with lower academic achievement, reduced motivation, and poorer psychological and behavioral outcomes, underscoring that the quality of students’ day-to-day learning experiences—particularly feelings of fairness, belonging, and respect—are strongly linked to both academic and developmental outcomes.

De Greeff, J. W., Bosker, R. J., Oosterlaan, J., Visscher, C., & Hartman, E. (2018). Effects of physical activity on executive functions, attention, and academic performance in preadolescent children: A meta-analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 21(5), 501–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2017.09.595
This meta-analysis of 31 randomized and controlled intervention studies in preadolescent children found that incorporating physical activity into students’ learning experiences significantly improved executive function, attention, and academic performance, demonstrating that more active, engaging classroom experiences can positively influence both student behavior (e.g., attention and self-regulation) and learning outcomes

Durlak, J. A., Mahoney, J. L., & Boyle, A. E. (2022). What we know, and what we need to find out about universal, school-based social and emotional learning programs for children and adolescents: A review of meta-analyses and directions for future research. Psychological Bulletin, 148(11-12), 765–782. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000383
This study reviewed 12 high-quality meta-analyses encompassing 523 unique studies (and approximately 1 million students from early childhood through high school) and found that school-based social-emotional learning (SEL) programs—designed to improve students’ day-to-day learning experiences (e.g., relationships, belonging, and emotional support)—consistently produced significant benefit for a range of outcomes including increased SEL skills, attitudes, prosocial behaviors, and academic achievement, and decreased conduct problems and emotional distress (post ds ranged from 0.09 to 0.70 and follow-up ds ranged from 0.07 to 0.33 depending on the outcome and the specific review). The authors also offer recommendations for future research, including better understanding the conditions and mechanisms by which programs are most effective.

Farrington C. A., Porter S., & Klugman J. (2019). Do classroom environments matter for noncognitive aspects of student performance and students’ course grades? (Working paper). UChicago Consortium on School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/2019-10/Do%20Classroom%20Environments%20Matter-Oct2019-Consortium.pdf
This study used a within-student, multilevel analysis of survey and administrative data from 8,318 middle and high school students (grades 6–12) across 25 schools, examining students’ experiences across core subjects (math, science, English/language arts, and social studies), and found that more supportive, relevant, and well-structured classroom experiences were associated with higher student motivation, belonging, engagement, and ultimately higher course grades.

Gripshover, S., Londerée, A., Ahuvia, I., Shyjka, A., Kroshinsky, F. S., Ryan, N., Farrington, C., & Paunesku, D. (2022). Learning conditions are an actionable, early indicator of math learning. University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publication/learning-conditions-are-an-actionable-early-indicator-of-math-learning
This longitudinal study of over 4,000 U.S. students in grades 8–12, using survey measures of learning conditions (e.g., teacher caring, meaningful work, and feedback for growth) linked to administrative math grades and analyzed with statistical controls, found that students experiencing more positive learning conditions were more than twice as likely to earn a B or better in math and that improvements in these experiences over time predicted subsequent gains in grades.

Hernández, L. E., Darling-Hammond, L., Adams, J., & Bradley, K. (with Duncan Grand, D., Roc, M., & Ross, P.). (2019). Deeper learning networks: Taking student-centered learning and equity to scale. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/media/372/download?inline&file=Deeper_Learning_Networks_REPORT.pdf
This qualitative case study examined three U.S. school networks (Big Picture Learning, Internationals Network for Public Schools, and New Tech Network) serving predominantly middle and high school students—many from historically marginalized groups—using interviews, observations, and document analysis and found that implementing student-centered, deeper learning models with strong relational, instructional, and structural supports was associated with improved academic outcomes, engagement, graduation rates, and postsecondary readiness, underscoring for our webpage that rich student learning experiences are a scalable and equity-driven lever for improving outcomes

McCarthy, E. M., Liu, Y., & Schauer, K. L. (2020). Strengths-based blended personalized learning: An impact study using virtual comparison group. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 52(3), 353–370. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2020.1716202
This longitudinal quasi-experimental study of pre-K–8 students in a diverse mid-size California district compared students participating in a strengths-based blended personalized learning model to matched peers over four years and found that students in the program significantly outperformed comparison students in math, reading, and language usage, demonstrating that personalized, strengths-based learning experiences can drive improved academic outcomes across core subjects.

Porter, S.C., Jackson, C.K., Kiguel, S., & Easton, J.Q. (2023). Investing in adolescents: High school climate and organizational context shape student development and educational attainment. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/2023-04/Investing%20in%20Adolescents-Apr%202023-Consortium.pdf
This research summary synthesized analyses of six cohorts of Chicago Public Schools students transitioning from 8th to 9th grade (N = 160,148 students, primarily Black and Latinx) using value-added models, survey data, administrative records, and longitudinal outcome data, and found that high schools with supportive, collaborative, and academically ambitious climates significantly improved students’ socioemotional development, attendance, behavior, graduation, college enrollment, and reduced school-based arrests—demonstrating that student experiences and school climate are powerful predictors of long-term student success beyond test scores alone.

Shi, J., & Cheung, A. C. K. (2024). Effective components of social emotional learning programs: A meta-analysis. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 53(4),755-771. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-024-01942-7
This meta-analysis of 59 studies across 12 high-quality SEL programs involving 83,233 students used meta-regression methods to identify effective program components and found that SEL interventions—designed to improve students’ social-emotional and relational learning experiences—produced significant gains in academic performance, prosocial behavior, and social-emotional skills while reducing antisocial behavior, highlighting that improving the quality of students’ daily experiences in school is a key lever for both academic and behavioral outcomes.

Transcend (2026, February). The connection between student experiences and outcomes among elementary students. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VAz6tqdmJ_DueR5jJAVxveD2lC39rKGI/view
In this cross-sectional study of 2,468 fourth- and fifth-grade students across 31 elementary schools in a large Midwestern district Transcend analyzed Leaps Student Voice Survey data linked to administrative records and found that students reporting higher-quality learning experiences had 9% higher GPAs, 54% fewer disciplinary incidents, 66% fewer suspensions, and 50% lower chronic absenteeism compared with students reporting lower-quality learning experiences.

Transcend (2025, September). The relationship between student experiences and outcomes. https://transcendeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Student-Experience-Research-Brief-1.pdf
In this cross-sectional study of 5,100 students in grades 6–12 across 17 schools Transcend linked Leaps Student Voice Survey data to administrative records and found that students reporting higher-quality learning experiences had ~15% higher GPAs, 27% higher math test scores, 17% fewer disciplinary incidents, and 33% lower chronic absenteeism rates than students reporting lower quality learning experiences. A second analysis of 10,065 students across 29 schools demonstrated that schools with stronger student experience ratings also had higher accountability ratings.

Winthrop, R., Shoukry, Y., & Nitkin, D. (2025, January). The disengagement gap: Why student engagement isn’t what parents expect. The Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/REPORT_The-Disengagement-Gap_FINAL.pdf
In this large-scale, descriptive study Transcend analyzed 66,662 U.S. students in grades 3–12 and 1,895 parents using the Leaps Student and Parent Voice Surveys (weighted to be nationally representative) and found that very few students (<10%) reported highly engaging learning experiences, engagement declines sharply with age, and parents substantially overestimate students’ engagement, highlighting a widespread gap between students’ actual experiences and adult perceptions—and underscoring the importance of designing more personalized, relevant, and agency-rich learning environments to drive engagement and improve outcomes.

See also: Giving Kids Some Autonomy Has Surprising Results (New York Times guest essay) also explores the report’s findings, and additional coverage can be found in The 74, Report: Kids Check Out of School as They Get Older, and Parents Are in the Dark and EdWeek, Parents Think Their Kids Are Learning a Lot at School. What Do Students Say?

Zheng, L., Long, M., Zhong, L., & Gyasi, J. F. (2022). The effectiveness of technology-facilitated personalized learning on learning achievements and learning perceptions: A meta-analysis. Education and Information Technologies, 27, 11807–11830. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11092-7
This meta-analysis of 34 empirical studies (K–12 and higher education samples) using moderator and effect size analyses found that technology-facilitated personalized learning produced a moderate positive effect on academic achievement and a smaller but significant effect on students’ learning perceptions, and that learning methods and personalized learning software significantly moderated the effect sizes.

Bonilla, S., Dee, T. S., & Penner, E. K. (2021). Ethnic studies increases longer-run academic engagement and attainment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(37), https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2026386118
This regression-discontinuity study of ~1,400 ninth-grade students in San Francisco Unified School District found that participation in an ethnic studies course—designed to provide culturally relevant, identity-affirming, and engaging learning experiences— increased high school graduation, attendance, and college enrollment, demonstrating that more meaningful and relevant student experiences can drive sustained improvements in engagement and long-term academic outcomes.

Chang, H. N., Osher, D., Schanfield, M., Sundius, J., & Bauer, L. (2019, September). Using chronic absence data to improve conditions for learning. Attendance Works & American Institutes for Research (AIR). https://www.attendanceworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Attendance_Works_Using_Chronic_Absence__091619.pdf
This research brief synthesizes national administrative data (e.g., ~8 million chronically absent U.S. students in 2015–16) alongside prior research and case studies across K–12 settings to show that students are more likely to attend school consistently when they experience positive learning conditions—such as safety, belonging, engagement, and supportive relationships—and that chronic absence serves as an early warning indicator of poor learning experiences and downstream academic risk, demonstrating that improving students’ day-to-day school experiences is a key lever for reducing absenteeism and improving outcomes.

Eklund, K., Burns, M. K., Oyen, K., DeMarchena, S., & McCollom, E. M. (2022). Addressing Chronic Absenteeism in Schools: A Meta-Analysis of Evidence-Based Interventions. School Psychology Review, 51(1), 95–111. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2020.1789436
This meta-analysis of school-based attendance interventions synthesized 22 studies conducted in pre-K–12 public school settings and found that evidence-based interventions—particularly those targeting student engagement, family involvement, and school climate—produced statistically significant improvements in attendance outcomes.

Graham, J., Chiang, Y.-C., & Choi, S. Y. (2026). Creating Welcoming Schools: The Role of Positive Climates in Reducing Absenteeism. American Educational Research Journal, 63(2), 421-465. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312261417687
This quantitative study of statewide middle and high school students in Georgia used aggregated student survey data and statistical modeling to examine the relationship between school climate and absenteeism, finding that more negative student perceptions of climate—particularly around connectedness and safety—were strongly associated with higher school-level absenteeism rates.

Liu, J. (2022, April). Imperfect Attendance: Toward a fairer measure of student absenteeism. Washington D.C.: Thomas B. Fordham Institute https://fordhaminstitute.org/sites/default/files/publication/pdfs/042022-imperfect-attendance-toward-fairer-measure-student-absenteeism_0.pdf
This study used 16 years of administrative data from a large, diverse California school district (N = 58,125 ninth-grade students across 20 high schools) and applied a value-added modeling approach controlling for student demographics and prior outcomes to estimate schools’ impact on attendance, finding that schools vary widely and consistently in their ability to improve attendance (reducing absences by ~28 class periods per year), and that these improvements are strongly associated with students’ perceptions of school climate—especially safety, belonging, and clear expectations—demonstrating that students’ day-to-day learning experiences are a key, actionable driver of attendance.

Malika, N., Granillo, C., Irani, C., Montgomery, S., & Belliard, J. C. (2021). Chronic absenteeism: Risks and protective factors among low‐income, minority children and adolescents. Journal of School Health, 91(12), 1046-1054. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.13096
This cross-sectional study of 24,439 students ages 9–21 in a predominantly low-income, minority district in Southern California examined predictors of chronic absenteeism and found that negative student experiences—such as bullying, poor health, and feeling unsafe at school—increased absenteeism risk, while positive experiences like supportive relationships and growth mindset reduced it.

Porter, S.C., Jackson, C.K., Kiguel, S., & Easton, J.Q. (2023). Investing in adolescents: High school climate and organizational context shape student development and educational attainment. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/2023-04/Investing%20in%20Adolescents-Apr%202023-Consortium.pdf
This research summary synthesized analyses of six cohorts of Chicago Public Schools students transitioning from 8th to 9th grade (N = 160,148 students, primarily Black and Latinx) using value-added models, survey data, administrative records, and longitudinal outcome data, and found that high schools with supportive, collaborative, and academically ambitious climates significantly improved students’ socioemotional development, attendance, behavior, graduation, college enrollment, and reduced school-based arrests—demonstrating that student experiences and school climate are powerful predictors of long-term student success beyond test scores alone.

Schanfield, M. R., Chang, H. N., & Osher, D. M. (2019). Chronic absence: A sign to invest in conditions for learning. In J. A. Fredricks, A. L. Reschly, & S. L. Christenson (Eds.), Handbook of student engagement interventions: Working with disengaged students (pp. 183–198). Elsevier Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813413-9.00013-9
This chapter examines the link between chronic absence and student disengagement as a function of a school’s environment, or Conditions for Learning (CFL). Engaging CFL lays a foundation for a strong system of supports and interventions to decrease chronic absence. The chapter discusses the educator capacity necessary to build engaging CFL to affect student engagement and attendance. It reviews chronic absence data to understand the scope and size of the issue within the current policy context. The chapter explores which community and school environment factors negatively affect student attendance. It concludes by describing select practices to reducing chronic absence within a multi-tiered approach.

Transcend (2026, February). The connection between student experiences and outcomes among elementary students. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VAz6tqdmJ_DueR5jJAVxveD2lC39rKGI/view
In this cross-sectional study of 2,468 fourth- and fifth-grade students across 31 elementary schools in a large Midwestern district Transcend analyzed Leaps Student Voice Survey data linked to administrative records and found that students reporting higher-quality learning experiences had 9% higher GPAs, 54% fewer disciplinary incidents, 66% fewer suspensions, and 50% lower chronic absenteeism compared with students reporting lower-quality learning experiences.

Transcend (2025, September). The relationship between student experiences and outcomes. https://transcendeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Student-Experience-Research-Brief-1.pdf
In this cross-sectional study of 5,100 students in grades 6–12 across 17 schools Transcend linked Leaps Student Voice Survey data to administrative records and found that students reporting higher-quality learning experiences had ~15% higher GPAs, 27% higher math test scores, 17% fewer disciplinary incidents, and 33% lower chronic absenteeism rates than students reporting lower quality learning experiences. A second analysis of 10,065 students across 29 schools demonstrated that schools with stronger student experience ratings also had higher accountability ratings.

Winthrop, R., Shoukry, Y., & Nitkin, D. (2025, January). The disengagement gap: Why student engagement isn’t what parents expect. The Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/REPORT_The-Disengagement-Gap_FINAL.pdf
In this large-scale, descriptive study Transcend analyzed 66,662 U.S. students in grades 3–12 and 1,895 parents using the Leaps Student and Parent Voice Surveys (weighted to be nationally representative) and found that very few students (<10%) reported highly engaging learning experiences, engagement declines sharply with age, and parents substantially overestimate students’ engagement, highlighting a widespread gap between students’ actual experiences and adult perceptions—and underscoring the importance of designing more personalized, relevant, and agency-rich learning environments to drive engagement and improve outcomes.

De Greeff, J. W., Bosker, R. J., Oosterlaan, J., Visscher, C., & Hartman, E. (2018). Effects of physical activity on executive functions, attention, and academic performance in preadolescent children: A meta-analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 21(5), 501–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2017.09.595
This meta-analysis of 31 randomized and controlled intervention studies in preadolescent children found that incorporating physical activity into students’ learning experiences significantly improved executive function, attention, and academic performance, demonstrating that more active, engaging classroom experiences can positively influence both student behavior (e.g., attention and self-regulation) and learning outcomes

Durlak, J. A., Mahoney, J. L., & Boyle, A. E. (2022). What we know, and what we need to find out about universal, school-based social and emotional learning programs for children and adolescents: A review of meta-analyses and directions for future research. Psychological Bulletin, 148(11-12), 765–782. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000383
This study reviewed 12 high-quality meta-analyses encompassing 523 unique studies (and approximately 1 million students from early childhood through high school) and found that school-based social-emotional learning (SEL) programs—designed to improve students’ day-to-day learning experiences (e.g., relationships, belonging, and emotional support)—consistently produced significant benefit for a range of outcomes including increased SEL skills, attitudes, prosocial behaviors, and academic achievement, and decreased conduct problems and emotional distress (post ds ranged from 0.09 to 0.70 and follow-up ds ranged from 0.07 to 0.33 depending on the outcome and the specific review). The authors also offer recommendations for future research, including better understanding the conditions and mechanisms by which programs are most effective.

Edling, S., Bjereld, Y., Thornberg, R., Gill, P., Bourbour, M., & Masoumi, D. (2025). “Keeping an Eye Out”: Students’ Experiences of School Personnel’s Noticing in Shaping or Hindering a Positive School Climate. Social Sciences, 14(5), 254. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14050254
This qualitative case study of 133 Swedish students in grades 4–9 (ages 10–16) across three schools, using 15 focus groups and 19 semi-structured interviews found that students’ experiences of school climate—and related outcomes like safety, bullying, and well-being—depended heavily on whether school staff actively noticed, understood, and responded to student interactions, demonstrating that attentive, responsive adult engagement is a critical driver of positive learning experiences and behavioral outcomes.

Porter, S.C., Jackson, C.K., Kiguel, S., & Easton, J.Q. (2023). Investing in adolescents: High school climate and organizational context shape student development and educational attainment. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/2023-04/Investing%20in%20Adolescents-Apr%202023-Consortium.pdf
This research summary synthesized analyses of six cohorts of Chicago Public Schools students transitioning from 8th to 9th grade (N = 160,148 students, primarily Black and Latinx) using value-added models, survey data, administrative records, and longitudinal outcome data, and found that high schools with supportive, collaborative, and academically ambitious climates significantly improved students’ socioemotional development, attendance, behavior, graduation, college enrollment, and reduced school-based arrests—demonstrating that student experiences and school climate are powerful predictors of long-term student success beyond test scores alone.

Rose, I. D., Lesesne, C. A., Sun, J., Johns, M. M., Zhang, X., & Hertz, M. (2024). The relationship of school connectedness to adolescents’ engagement in co-occurring health risks: A meta-analytic review. Journal of School Nursing, 40(1), 58–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405221096802
This meta-analysis examined the relationship between school connectedness and four health domains that are prevalent in adolescence, have implications for adult health, and often co-occur: mental health, sexual health, violence, and high-risk substance use. Ninety articles published between 2009 and 2019 were included in the analysis. The study found that school connectedness had a protective average effect size across all health domains and with co-occurring risks. These results provide strong evidence that school connectedness has the potential to prevent and mitigate multiple health risks during adolescence, as well as implications for adult health.

Ruhland, S., & Lange, K. W. (2021). Effect of classroom-based physical activity interventions on attention and on-task behavior in schoolchildren: A systematic review. Sports Medicine and Health Science, 3(3), 125-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smhs.2021.08.003
This systematic review and qualitative synthesis of 20 prospective studies (including 6,032 students ages 7–16), of both randomized and non-randomized classroom-based physical activity interventions, found that most studies showed improvements in attention and on-task behavior following short bouts of in-class physical activity, demonstrating that enhancing students’ in-class learning experiences (e.g., through movement and engagement) is consistently associated with better cognitive focus and classroom behavior.

Sasson, I., Yehuda, I., & Miedijensky, S. (2022). Innovative learning spaces: Class management and universal design for learning. Learning Environments Research, 25(3), 725–739. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-021-09393-8
This observational study of 507 classroom observations across four elementary schools (comparing traditional and innovative learning environments) used correlational analyses to examine pedagogy and discipline and found that student-centered, UDL-aligned practices—more common in innovative learning spaces—were associated with fewer discipline incidents, while more teacher-centered approaches were linked to higher rates of behavioral issues, demonstrating that the design of students’ learning experiences influences classroom behavior.

Shi, J., & Cheung, A. C. K. (2024). Effective components of social emotional learning programs: A meta-analysis. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 53(4),755-771. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-024-01942-7
This meta-analysis of 59 studies across 12 high-quality SEL programs involving 83,233 students (typically K–12) used meta-regression methods to identify effective program components and found that SEL interventions—designed to improve students’ social-emotional and relational learning experiences—produced significant gains in academic performance, prosocial behavior, and social-emotional skills while reducing antisocial behavior, highlighting that improving the quality of students’ daily experiences in school is a key lever for both academic and behavioral outcomes.

Transcend (2026, February). The connection between student experiences and outcomes among elementary students. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VAz6tqdmJ_DueR5jJAVxveD2lC39rKGI/view
In this cross-sectional study of 2,468 fourth- and fifth-grade students across 31 elementary schools in a large Midwestern district Transcend analyzed Leaps Student Voice Survey data linked to administrative records and found that students reporting higher-quality learning experiences had 9% higher GPAs, 54% fewer disciplinary incidents, 66% fewer suspensions, and 50% lower chronic absenteeism compared with students reporting lower-quality learning experiences.

Transcend (2025, September). The relationship between student experiences and outcomes. https://transcendeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Student-Experience-Research-Brief-1.pdf
In this cross-sectional study of 5,100 students in grades 6–12 across 17 schools Transcend linked Leaps Student Voice Survey data to administrative records and found that students reporting higher-quality learning experiences had ~15% higher GPAs, 27% higher math test scores, 17% fewer disciplinary incidents, and 33% lower chronic absenteeism rates than students reporting lower quality learning experiences. A second analysis of 10,065 students across 29 schools demonstrated that schools with stronger student experience ratings also had higher accountability ratings.

Wang, M. T., Del Toro, J., Scanlon, C. L., & McKellar, S. E. (2023). Fostering school equity: A racial socialization approach to creating an equitable school climate and reducing disciplinary infractions. Developmental Psychology, 59(11), 2105–2118. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001624
Using a racially diverse sample (n = 1,515), this 3-year longitudinal study examined whether student perceptions of school racial socialization practices (i.e., cultural socialization, promotion of cultural competence) were linked to a lower likelihood of receiving a suspension for a minor infraction through improved school climate perceptions and whether these links differed between Black and White students. Results showed that school racial socialization was associated with a lower likelihood of receiving a suspension for a minor infraction and improved school climate perceptions for all students. Moreover, students’ perceptions of school climate mediated the link between school racial socialization and suspensions among both Black and White students.

Bonilla, S., Dee, T. S., & Penner, E. K. (2021). Ethnic studies increases longer-run academic engagement and attainment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(37), https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2026386118
This regression-discontinuity study of ~1,400 ninth-grade students in San Francisco Unified School District found that participation in an ethnic studies course—designed to provide culturally relevant, identity-affirming, and engaging learning experiences— increased high school graduation, attendance, and college enrollment, demonstrating that more meaningful and relevant student experiences can drive sustained improvements in engagement and long-term academic outcomes.

Borman, G. D., Choi, Y., & Hall, G. J. (2021). The impacts of a brief middle-school self-affirmation intervention help propel African American and Latino students through high school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(3), 605–620. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000570
This longitudinal experimental study of middle school students (N = 802–952) found that a brief self-affirmation intervention designed to improve students’ psychological and identity-related learning experiences reduced racial achievement gaps by 50% per year from grades 7–12 and by 42% overall by 12th grade, while also increasing on-time graduation rates by 10 percentage points, demonstrating that improving students’ day-to-day experiences of belonging and identity safety can drive substantial gains in academic outcomes and long-term success.

Hernández, L. E., Darling-Hammond, L., Adams, J., & Bradley, K. (with Duncan Grand, D., Roc, M., & Ross, P.). (2019). Deeper learning networks: Taking student-centered learning and equity to scale. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/media/372/download?inline&file=Deeper_Learning_Networks_REPORT.pdf
This qualitative case study examined three U.S. school networks (Big Picture Learning, Internationals Network for Public Schools, and New Tech Network) serving predominantly middle and high school students—many from historically marginalized groups—using interviews, observations, and document analysis and found that implementing student-centered, deeper learning models with strong relational, instructional, and structural supports was associated with improved academic outcomes, engagement, graduation rates, and postsecondary readiness, underscoring for our webpage that rich student learning experiences are a scalable and equity-driven lever for improving outcomes

Morgan, T. L., Zakhem, D., & Cooper, W. L. (2018). From High School Access to Postsecondary Success: An Exploratory Study of the Impact of High-Rigor Coursework. Education Sciences, 8(4), 191. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8040191
This longitudinal study of high school students (grades 9–12; N = 1,464) examined the relationship between students’ participation in high-rigor coursework (e.g., advanced classes) and postsecondary outcomes and found that students who engaged in more rigorous, challenging learning experiences were more likely to enroll in college, persist, and graduate.

Papageorge, N.W., Gershenson, S., & Kang, K.M. (2020). Teacher expectations matter. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 102(2), 234–251. https://doi.org/10.1162/rest_a_00838.
This study uses data from 6,060 students who were 10th grade participants in the 2002 Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS) to explore the effects of teacher expectations on the students’ long-term outcomes. The ELS includes rich information on students’ demographic background, schooling outcomes, longer-term socioeconomic outcomes (measured 12 years post-baseline), teacher characteristics, and one unique datapoint: two teachers provided their educational expectations for each student. Results demonstrated that 10th grade teacher expectations impact a range of future outcomes for students, including likelihood of college enrollment and completion, rates of employment, and lower usage of public benefits.

Porter, S.C., Jackson, C.K., Kiguel, S., & Easton, J.Q. (2023). Investing in adolescents: High school climate and organizational context shape student development and educational attainment. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/2023-04/Investing%20in%20Adolescents-Apr%202023-Consortium.pdf
This research summary synthesized analyses of six cohorts of Chicago Public Schools students transitioning from 8th to 9th grade (N = 160,148 students, primarily Black and Latinx) using value-added models, survey data, administrative records, and longitudinal outcome data, and found that high schools with supportive, collaborative, and academically ambitious climates significantly improved students’ socioemotional development, attendance, behavior, graduation, college enrollment, and reduced school-based arrests—demonstrating that student experiences and school climate are powerful predictors of long-term student success beyond test scores alone.

Rose, I. D., Lesesne, C. A., Sun, J., Johns, M. M., Zhang, X., & Hertz, M. (2024). The relationship of school connectedness to adolescents’ engagement in co-occurring health risks: A meta-analytic review. Journal of School Nursing, 40(1), 58–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405221096802
This meta-analysis examined the relationship between school connectedness and four health domains that are prevalent in adolescence, have implications for adult health, and often co-occur: mental health, sexual health, violence, and high-risk substance use. Ninety articles published between 2009 and 2019 were included in the analysis. The study found that school connectedness had a protective average effect size across all health domains and with co-occurring risks. These results provide strong evidence that school connectedness has the potential to prevent and mitigate multiple health risks during adolescence, as well as implications for adult health.

Steiner, R. J., Sheremenko, G., Lesesne, C., Dittus, P. J., Sieving, R. E., & Ethier, K. A. (2019). Adolescent connectedness and adult health outcomes. Pediatrics, 144(1), e20183766. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-3766
Using weighted data from Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (n = 14, 800), this study examined associations between family and school connectedness in adolescence and self-reported health risk behaviors and experiences in adulthood. Results indicated that school connectedness in adolescence had independent protective associations in adulthood, reducing emotional distress and odds of suicidal ideation, physical violence victimization and perpetration, multiple sex partners, STI diagnosis, prescription drug misuse, and other illicit drug use. Similar results were found for family connectedness. Compared to individuals with low scores, having high levels of both school and family connectedness was associated with 48% to 66% lower odds of health risk behaviors and experiences in adulthood, depending on the outcome.