Wingspread Declaration on School Connections

This declaration is based on a detailed review of research
and in-depth discussions among an interdisciplinary
group of education leaders convened at Wingspread, June
13-15, 2003.
THE DECLARATION
Students are more likely to succeed when they feel
connected to school. School connection is the belief by
students that adults in the school care about their learning
as well as about them as individuals. Critical requirements
for feeling connected include students? experiencing:| High academic expectations and rigor coupled with
support for learning;1,2| Positive adult-student relationships;3,4| Safety: both physical and emotional.4,5
Increasing the number of students connected to school is
likely to impact critical accountability measures, such as:| Academic performance;6-10| Incidents of fighting, bullying, or vandalism;11,12| Absenteeism;13| School completion rates.8,14-16
Strong scientific evidence demonstrates increased
student connection to school promotes:| Educational motivation;4,5,13,17,18| Classroom engagement;2,4,13| Improved school attendance.13
These three factors in turn increase academic achievement.
The findings apply across racial, ethnic, and income
groups.
Likewise, strong evidence exists that a student who feels
connected to school is less likely to exhibit:| Disruptive behavior;1,8,19| School violence;8,19| Substance and tobacco use;8,19| Emotional distress;19| Early age of first sex.19,20
Based on current research evidence, the most effective
strategies for increasing the likelihood that students will be
connected to school include:| Implementing high standards and expectations, and
providing academic support to all students.1| Applying fair and consistent disciplinary policies that
are collectively agreed upon and fairly enforced.1,13,21| Creating trusting relationships among students, teachers,
staff, administrators, and families.1,13| Hiring and supporting capable teachers skilled in
content, teaching techniques, and classroom management
to meet each learner?s needs.8| Fostering high parent/family expectations for school
performance and school completion.1,8| Ensuring that every student feels close to at least one
supportive adult at school.1,13
Best Bets Warranting Further Research| Programs and approaches that create positive and
purposeful peer support and peer norms.| Strategies that work to promote connection to school
among disenfranchised groups.| Analysis of the costs and effectiveness of different
programs for fostering school connectedness.| Evaluation of new and existing curricular approaches,
staff and administrator training, and various institutional
structures.| Effects of students feeling connected on teacher
morale, effectiveness, and turnover.
References
1. National Research Council, the Institute of Medicine. Engaging
Schools: Fostering High School Students? Motivation to Learn. Board on
Children, Youth, and Families, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences
and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2004.
2. Klem AM, Connell JP. Relationships matter: linking teacher support
to student engagement and achievement. Paper presented at: Wingspread
Conference on School Connectedness; June 2003; Racine, WI.
3. Osterman KF. Students? need for belonging in the school community.
Rev Educ Res. 2000;70(3):323-367.
4. Connell JP, Wellborn JG. Competence, autonomy, and relatedness:
a motivational analysis of self-system processes. In: Gunnar MR, Sroufe
LA, eds. Self Processes in Development: Minnesota Symposium on Child
Psychology. Vol. 23. Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago Press; 1991:43-
77.
5. Lee VE, Smith JB. Social support and achievement for young
adolescents in Chicago: the role of school academic press. Am Educ Res J.
1999;104(2):103-147.
6. Voelkl KE. School warmth, student participation, and achievement.
J Exp Educ. 1995;63:127-138.
7. Catalano RF, Haggerty KP, Oesterle S, Fleming CB, Hawkins JD.
The importance of bonding to school for healthy development: findings
from the Social Development Research Group. Paper presented at:
Wingspread Conference on School Connectedness; June 2003; Racine,
WI.
8. Goodenow C. Classroom belonging among early adolescent
students: relationships to motivation and achievement. J Early Adolesc.
1993;13(1):21-43.
9. Lee VE, Smith JB, Perry TE, Smylie MA. Social Support, Academic
Press, and Student Achievement: A View From the Middle Grades in
Chicago. Chicago, Ill: Chicago Annenberg Challenge; 1999.
10. Battistich V, Hom A. The relationship between students? sense of
their school as a community and their involvement in problem behaviors.
Am J Public Health. 1997;87(12):1997-2001.
11. Wilson D, Elliott D. The interface of school climate and school
connectedness: an exploratory review and study. Paper presented at:
Wingspread Conference on School Connectedness; June 2003; Racine,
WI.
12. Schapps E. The Role of Supportive School Environments in
Promoting Academic Success. California Department of Education Press;
2003.
13. Croninger RG, Lee VE. Social capital and dropping out of high
schools: Benefits to at- risk students of teachers? support and guidance.
Teachers College Record. 2001;103(4):548-581.
14. Connell JP, Halpern-Felsher B, Clifford E, Crichlow W, Usinger P.
Hanging in there: Behavioral, psychological, and contextual factors affecting
whether African-American adolescents stay in school. J Adolesc Res.
1995;10(1):41-63.
15. Finn JD, Rock DA. Academic success among students at risk for
school failure. J Appl Psychol. 1993;82:221-234.
16. Wentzel KR. Social relationships and motivation in middle school:
the role of parents, teachers, and peers. J Educ Psychol. 1998;90(2):202-
209.
Journal of School Health| September 2004, Vol. 74, No. 7| 233
17. Ryan AM, Patrick H. The classroom social environment and
changes in adolescent motivation and engagement during middle school.
Am Educ Res J. 2001;38(2):437-460.
18. Resnick MD, Bearman PS, Blum RW, et al. Protecting adolescents
from harm: findings from the national longitudinal study on adolescent
health. JAMA. 1997;278:823-833.
19. Lonczak HS, Abbott RD, Hawkins, JD, Kosterman R, Catalano R.
The effects of the Seattle Social Development Project: Behavior, pregnancy,
birth, and sexually transmitted disease outcomes by age 21. Arch
Pediatr Adolesc Health. 2002;156:438-447.
20. Samdal O, Nutbeam D, Wold B, Kannas L. Achieving health and
educational goals through schools: a study of the importance of the
climate and students? satisfaction with school. Health Educ Res.
1998;(3):383-397.
Wingspread Conference
Participant List
Angeli Achrekar, MPH
Public Health Analyst
Office of the Director
Division of Adolescent and School
Health
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention
Atlanta, GA
Trina Anglin, MD, PhD
Chief, Office of Adolescent Health
Maternal and Child Health Bureau
Health Resources and Services
Administration
US Public Health Service, DHHS
Rockville, MD
John Bishop, PhD
Director, Educational Excellence
Alliance
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
Lynne (Michael) Blum, PhD
Licensed Psychologist
Wayzata, MN
Robert Blum, MD, MPH, PhD
Professor and Director
William H. Gates Sr. Professor and
Chair
Department of Population and Family
Health Sciences
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School
of Public Health
Baltimore, MD
James F. Bogden, MPH
Safe and Healthier School Project
Director
National Association of State Boards
of Education
Alexandria, VA
Constance Clark, PhD
Superintendent of Schools
Westbury Union Free School District
Old Westbury, NY
Kenneth Dragseth, PhD
Superintendent of Schools
Edina Public Schools
Edina, MN
Jay Engeln, BA, MEd
Resident Practitioner, Business
Partnerships
National Association of Secondary
School Principals
Reston, VA
James D. Ericson, JD
Chairman Emeritus
Northwestern Mutual
Milwaukee, WI
Brenda Z. Greene
Director, School Health Programs
National School Boards Association
Alexandria, VA
Nora Howley, MA, CHES
Project Director, School Health
Project
Council of Chief State School Officers
Washington, DC
Adena Klem, PhD
Research Manager
Institute for Research and Reform in
Education
New York, NY
Theresa C. Lewallen, MA, CHES
Director, Health in Education
Initiative
Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development
Alexandria, VA
Heather Libbey, EdM
Fellow
National Teen Pregnancy Prevention
Research Center
Minneapolis, MN
Linda McKay
Senior Advisor to the Deputy Under
Secretary
Office of Safe & Drug Free Schools
for Character Education & Civic
Engagement
US Department of Education
Washington, DC
Clea McNeely, DrPH
Assistant Professor
Division of General Pediatrics and
Adolescent Health
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
Nancy Miller, MS, PhD
Project Director
American Association of School
Administrators
Arlington, VA
Karen Morison, MEd
Staff Director
White House Task Force For
Disadvantaged Youth
Washington, DC
Jenny Osorio, MPA
Associate Director for Planning,
Evaluation, & Legislation
Division of Adolescent and School
Health
Atlanta, GA
Jean Silvernail, EdD
Policy Analyst, Military Child in
Transition and Deployment
Department of Defense
Educational Opportunities Directorate
Washington, DC
Constancia Warren
Senior Program Officer and Director
Urban High School Initiatives
Carnegie Corporation of New York
New York, NY
Dorian Wilson
Center for the Study and Prevention of
Violence
Institute of Behavioral Science
Boulder, CO
The Johnson Foundation Staff
Carol M. Johnson, PhD
Program Officer for Education
The Johnson Foundation
Racine,WI
Wingspread Fellows
Kristina Beck
Alverno College
Milwaukee,WI
Rhonnie Song
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL