Amplifying Student Voice: How Connectedness and Academic Engagement Shape Key Student Outcomes at an Urban Middle School

Abstract

Summit View Middle School (SVMS), a highly diverse, urban public middle school, experienced a decline in student outcomes following the COVID-19 pandemic, including chronic absenteeism, behavioral disruptions, and low academic performance. To address these issues, the school implemented the Student Voice Program (SVP)—a student-led, project-based intervention aimed at increasing school connectedness, engagement, and academic motivation. This study examined the relationships between students’ perceptions of connectedness and academic engagement and school outcomes, and the impact of the SVP on students’ beliefs, behaviors, and performance at SVMS. The questions guiding this project were: Q1: What is the relationship between students’ perceptions of connectedness and academic engagement and school outcomes (achievement, behavior, and attendance)? Q2: How do SVP participants and educators perceive the program’s impact on connectedness, engagement, and students’ ability to meet school expectations? Through a multi-phase mixed-methods design and case study, several key findings emerged, including: Academic engagement and self-efficacy are the strongest predictors of GPA and attendance. School connectedness, when paired with high engagement, supports better attendance. Engagement significantly predicted GPA (β = .21), while connectedness alone did not. Students in the SVP demonstrated ownership of learning, accountability, and participation. Educators observed SVP as a catalyst for transforming student identity, building leadership, and improving relationships. Findings allowed us to make three key recommendations to SVMS to increase student self-efficacy, scale the SVP, and redefine academic rigor. This study underscores the power of authentic student voice and academic engagement as levers for transforming school climate.