Category: Research

The Engagement Advantage: Findings from a Mixed-Methods Study of Family-School Partnerships

Posted on by Zach Brooks

In partnership with TNTP, Learning Heroes launched The Engagement Advantage to examine how family-school partnerships relate to student attendance and academic outcomes. The first stage of this mixed-methods study found that schools with stronger pre-pandemic family engagement experienced significantly lower chronic absenteeism and higher academic performance post-pandemic — with family engagement showing a stronger relationship to absenteeism than poverty.

The second stage identified the specific leadership practices, mindsets, and communication strategies that distinguish “bright spot” schools serving similar communities — offering a practical roadmap for states, districts, and schools seeking to strengthen partnerships and improve student outcomes.

Centering Families in the Future of Education: Insights & Perspectives From 10 Years of Research

Posted on by Zach Brooks

Building on a rich and longstanding body of research on family engagement, Centering Families in the Future of Education shares ten insights from ten years — what families and educators have told us they need to support student learning and well-being. From the gap between parent perception and academic performance to the need for clearer, more actionable communication, the findings underscore a central truth: when families are treated as true partners, trust deepens, outcomes improve, and systems become more responsive to every learner’s needs.

The Teacher & Principal Lens: Opportunities for equitable support for students with learning differences

Posted on by Howard Winchester

This national survey of teachers and principals was conducted as part of our participation with the NeuroEquity Research Collaborative (NERC) which is being led and funded by Understood.org. Building on The Parent Journey, our 2023 survey of families of children with learning differences, this new body of research offers the educator perspective, shedding light on actionable insights. Based on this data, we offer a set of recommendations as well as an updated communications playbook for schools, districts, and advocates.

 

Hablan los maestros y directores sobre las oportunidades para un apoyo equitativo a los estudiantes con diferencias de aprendizaje

Posted on by Zach Brooks

Esta encuesta nacional a maestros y directores de centros educativos fue realizada como parte de nuestra participación en el NeuroEquity Research Collaborative (NERC), dirigido y financiado por Understood.org. Sobre la base de The Parent Journey, nuestra encuesta de 2023 a familias de niños con diferencias de aprendizaje, esta nueva investigación ofrece la perspectiva de los educadores, recomendaciones y reflexiones de aplicación práctica, así como un manual de comunicación actualizado para escuelas, distritos escolares y grupos de apoyo.

Go Beyond Grades New York City

Posted on by Zach Brooks

For the Go Beyond Grades campaign in New York City, we conducted a survey of K–12 public school parents to better understand parent mindsets, worries, and beliefs about their children’s education. The research explores how parents perceive their child’s grade-level achievement—often equating good grades with grade-level mastery—and includes insights from parents of children who learn differently. In addition to this pre-campaign research, we have included a post-campaign evaluation assessing the campaign’s reach, impact, and effectiveness in shifting parent awareness and understanding.

Go Beyond Grades — Ciudad de Nueva York

Posted on by Zach Brooks

Para la campaña de Go Beyond Grades en la ciudad de Nueva York realizamos una encuesta para conocer mejor el modo de pensar, las preocupaciones y las creencias de los padres de las escuelas públicas de la ciudad de Nueva York sobre la educación de sus hijos. La encuesta revela las percepciones de los padres sobre el rendimiento escolar de sus hijos en función de su creencia de que las buenas calificaciones equivalen a dominio de las materias a nivel de grado, e incluye las percepciones de los padres de niños que aprenden de manera diferente.

Go Beyond Grades – Tarrant County

Posted on by Howard Winchester

For the Go Beyond Grades campaign in Tarrant County, TX, we conducted a survey of K–12 public school parents to better understand parent mindsets, worries, and beliefs about their children’s education. The research highlights the disconnect between parent perceptions of grade-level achievement and the reality shown by local assessment data. In addition to this pre-campaign research, we have included a post-campaign evaluation assessing the campaign’s effectiveness in shifting parent understanding.

Go Beyond Grades — Condado de Tarrant

Posted on by Zach Brooks

Para la campaña de Go Beyond Grades en el condado de Tarrant, Texas, realizamos una encuesta para lograr entender mejor el modo de pensar, las preocupaciones y las creencias de los padres de escuelas públicas K-12 del condado de Tarrant sobre la educación de sus hijos. La encuesta revela que existe una desconexión entre la percepción de los padres sobre el rendimiento escolar de sus hijos a nivel de grado y la realidad basada en los datos de las evaluaciones locales.

B-flation: How Good Grades Can Sideline Parents

Posted on by Howard Winchester

In November 2023, Gallup partnered with Learning Heroes to better understand how parents perceive, evaluate, and take action in support of their child’s academic progress. The findings from this report highlight the issues at play for parents in understanding their child’s grade level achievement and shine a light on opportunities to better support families – especially when it comes to deciphering report cards and other measures and generating awareness of what a report card really means.

B-flación: Cómo las buenas calificaciones pueden desorientar a los padres

Posted on by Zach Brooks

En noviembre de 2023, Gallup y Learning Heroes unieron esfuerzos para realizar un estudio sobre cómo perciben, evalúan y actúan los padres para apoyar el rendimiento escolar de sus hijos. Este informe identifica las dificultades que tienen los padres para entender el rendimiento académico de sus hijos a nivel de grado, así como las oportunidades de apoyo a las familias, sobre todo para interpretar las calificaciones de sus hijos y generar conciencia sobre el propósito de la boleta de calificaciones.