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Case Study: Dayton Early College Academy
Produced by the Pearson Foundation, this case study shares the story of Dayton Early College Academy, a charter high school in Dayton, Ohio, that began using the My Voice Survey in 2006, and working with QISA as a Demonstration Site in 2010.
Improving Dropout Statistics Through the Aspirations Framework
This case study profiles Selma City Schools' (Selma, Alabama) impressive reduction of their dropout rate from 35% to 4.47% under the leadership of Superintendent, Dr. James Carter, and using the Aspirations Framework.
Aspirations in Action: June 2013
In this issue: Insights on Student Voice, Student Voice U.S. by Redwood Environmental Academy of Leadership at Redwood High School (Redwood City, CA), Student Voice U.K. by Aspirations Heroes at Harriers Banbury Academy (Banbury, England), An Educator Speaks Out by Dr. Dana L. Mitra and Dr. Stephanie Serriere of Pennsylvania State University, and AAT Insider's Voice by Chris McNab of Rivers Academy West London.
Aspirations in Action: May 2013
In this issue: Insights on Spirit of Adventure, Student Voice U.S. by the Student Aspirations Team at Maysville Elementary School (Zanesville, OH), Student Voice U.K. by Dorsa, Willow, Samiha, Priscilla, Kane, Ali, and Mehdi at Rivers Academy West London, An Educator Speaks Out by Norma Wright at O.R. Edgington Elementary School (Englewood, OH), and AAT Insider's Voice by Rachel Gallyot at Dashwood Banbury Academy.
Quaglia Quoted Links
21st Century Skills and the Workplace
Microsoft Partners in Learning, Pearson Foundation, and Gallup
This Gallup report, published in partnership with Microsoft Partners in Learning and Pearson Foundation, explores the relationships between 21st century skills developed in the classroom, student aspiration in schools, and perceived quality of work later in life. QISA research in the field of student aspirations was used to inform their research.
Pearson Foundation
The My Education Report was made for young people, by young people. Led by nine Youth Ambassadors from the U.K., My Education was produced with Pearson Foundation and Teach First, and uses My Voice data to present key issues for today's youth.
School Voice Report 2016
This report is rooted in a simple idea: In order for schools to be successful, they must listen to, learn from, and lead with the students and teachers who comprise the very life of the school itself. Whether schools choose to accept our view that the goal of schools should be to support each and every student's aspirations, or not; whether schools believe as we do that the Self-Worth, Engagement, and sense of Purpose of every student and teacher is critical to their academic and professional success in school, or not; whether schools think ensuring each student's sense of Belonging, Fun & Excitement, and Confidence to Take Action are part of the job of teaching, or not; we urge schools to consider the voice of students and teachers in all projects and programs moving forward.
My Voice National Student Report (Grades 6-12) 2014
The underlying philosophy of the My Voice Survey and the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations is that students have something to teach us. The 2014 My Voice National Student Report (Grades 6-12) reveals the voices of students from across the United States and demonstrates the vital importance of listening to them.
My Voice National Student Report 2013 Executive Summary
A visually rich summary of the findings of the most recent My Voice National report. This summary includes the voices of actual students, highlighting the importance of Self-Worth, Engagement, and Purpose to their academic motivation.
The underlying philosophy of the My Voice Survey and the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations is that students have something to teach us. The 2013 My Voice National Student Report (Grades 6-12) reveals the voices of students from across the United States and demonstrates the vital importance of listening to them. The My Voice Survey comprises 63 statements that address the 8 Conditions, as...
Impacting Academic Motivation in Students: Analysis of National My Voice Data 2012-13
"Impacting Academic Motivation in Students" displays the connection between Academic Motivation and the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspiration's 3 Guiding Principles - Self-Worth, Engagement, and Purpose - and two important variables related to relationships - teacher support and peer support. The purpose of this Impact Index is to help educators focus energy on variables that could most significantly improve student academic motivation. Data was compiled by the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations and are based...
The underlying philosophy of the My Voice Survey and the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations is that students have something to teach us. The 2012 My Voice National Student Report (Grades 6-12) reveals the voices of students from across the United States and demonstrates the vital importance of listening to them. The My Voice Survey comprises 63 statements that address the 8 Conditions, as well as a set of demographic questions. For the present report,...
Executive Summary: My Voice National Student Report (Grades 6-12) 2012
This report summarizes findings from the 2012 My Voice National Student Report (Grades 6-12), which was completed by 94,248 students in grades 6-12 during the 2011-2012 academic year, representing 355 schools from across the United States.
My Voice National Student Report 2011
The 2011 My Voice National Student Report provides students an opportunity for their voices to be heard and demonstrates the vital importance of listening to them. The My Voice Survey comprises 63 statements that address the 8 Conditions, as well as a set of demographic questions. For the present report, the My Voice Survey was completed by 57,883 students in grades 6-12 during 2010-11 academic year, representing 203 schools from across the United States.
Summary of Results: My Voice National Student Report (Grades 6-12) 2011
The 2011 My Voice National Student Report summary of results, produced by Pearson Foundation, highlights major conclusions from this internationally recognized survey. These results measuring student perceptions in schools - from small rural schools to large urban districts - can be used to create a student-centered environment where children feel safe, valued and supported.
The My Voice Student Aspirations Survey assesses various aspects of student aspirations by asking students to respond to 63 statements about the 8 Conditions, as well as a set of demographic questions. For the present report, the My Voice Survey was completed by 19,444 students in grades 6-12 during the spring of 2010. Forty-three schools from six different states (from the South, Midwest, and Northeast regions of the United States) representing various sizes and socioeconomic...
This report summarizes findings from the 2012 My Voice National Student Report (Grades 6-12), which was completed by 19,444 students in grades 6-12 during the spring of 2010. Forty-three schools from six different states (from the South, Midwest, and Northeast regions of the United States) representing various sizes and socioeconomic backgrounds were included.
Between fall 2006 and spring 2008, 414,243 students in grades 6-12 completed the My Voice Student Aspirations Survey at 569 schools in 32 states representing various sizes and socioeconomic backgrounds. This survey asked students to respond to 57 statements about the 8 Conditions to better understand what motivates and inspires students to achieve, and how well students believe their school is meeting those objectives.
My Voice National Staff Report 2008
The My Voice Staff Aspirations Survey assesses staff aspirations by asking questions based on the 8 Conditions. By asking how staff perceive the school environment, My Voice provides educators and those that support them with a powerful tool for understanding both what motivates and inspires every person to achieve, and how well the staff believes their school is meeting those objectives. Between fall 2006 and spring 2008, 20,913 staff members completed this survey; 63% were...
The Student Aspirations Survey: Assessing Student Effort and Goals
Jonathan A. Plucker and Russell J. Quaglia
Published in Educational and Psychological Measurement, this article presents theory and research on intellectual achievement that suggests a seldom-examined factor, student aspirations, plays an integral role in students' educational accomplishments.
Moving Beyond School-Business Partnerships and Creating Relationships
Casey Cobb and Russell J. Quaglia
This paper describes the various types of school-business partnerships that exist in rural America. Data were derived from an extensive review of literature and limited field observations and interviews. Findings indicate that little formal research has been conducted on reform-model, school-business partnerships. Two strands of thought regarding the organizational and personal interactions between schools and businesses are identified--the partnership domain and the relationship domain. The partnership domain is characterized by a static process, a well-defined...
Open Up TWM: Make Room for School Restructuring Through Aspirations
Constance M. Perry and Russell J. Quaglia
This paper, published in Education (Vol. 113, No. 4) describes the components of the University of Maine's Aspirations School Improvement Project (ASIP) which is designed to raise student and staff aspirations as a strategy for school improvement.
Influencing Student and Staff Aspirations: A School Improvement Project
Russell J. Quaglia
This paper, published in Rural Educator (Vol. 13, No. 2) highlights the importance of increasing student and staff aspirations as a component of effective schools and describes a rural school improvement project developed at the University of Maine. The Aspirations Project involves university school partnerships with four rural Maine school systems.
American School Board Journal Q&A with Russell Quaglia, expert on student engagement
Q&A with QISA's President and Founder, Dr. Russell Quaglia, featured in the American School Board Journal.
Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships
Raymond J. McNulty and Russell J. Quaglia
How can students meet high academic standards if they don't believe in their ability to do so? This article, featured in AASA's The School Administrator, promotes an instructional framework for unlocking the door to engage high school students to learn at appropriate levels.
Creating a Classroom Culture that Inspires Student Learning
Sara E. Quay and Russell J. Quaglia
This article, published in The Teaching Professor, provides an overview of how the 8 Conditions can inspire student learning in the classroom.
Making an Impact on Student Aspirations: A Positive Approach to School Violence
Published in the NASSP Bulletin, this article shares an approach to make schools safer places for students using the 8 Conditions.
Student Aspirations: Reading Recovery May Influence More than Literacy Development
Anne K. Rhodes-Kline and Russell J. Quaglia
This paper, published in the Reading Recovery Council of North America's Literacy Teaching and Learning (Volume 3, Number 1), represents an effort to connect practices of the Reading Recovery (RR) program with known conditions for student aspirations. The implications of this work suggest that investing effort in RR may affect not only children's literacy development, but also their aspirations, which are generalizable to other areas of the children's lives.
Toward a Theory of Student Aspirations
Russell J. Quaglia and Casey D. Cobb
Student aspirations is a term that is used frequently in education, yet there is little understanding and agreement as to what it means and even less understanding about its origin. The purpose of this paper, published in the Journal of Research in Rural Education (Vol. 12, No. 3) is to trace some of the key historical perspectives of the construct of aspirations, and from this backdrop introduce a new manner in which to view student aspirations.
The Evolving Roles of the State Boards of Education, State Education Agencies, and Chief State School Officers
Patricia F. First and Russell J. Quaglia
The roles of state boards of education, state education agencies, and chief state school officers are examined in this paper, distributed by ERIC Clearinghouse. A review of governance models beginning with colonial days and ending with consideration of recent research on the functioning of state boards of education is provided, and it is concluded that state boards have wide discretionary powers, but are constrained by a lack of financial and political influence. This finding contradicts...
Integrating Knowledge in Educational Administration: Moving Beyond Content. Improving the Preparation of School Administrators. Notes on Reform No. 3
Gordon Donaldson and Russell J. Quaglia
An experiential course in administrative practice was designed at the University of Maine to address public and professional demands for competency-centered preparation courses. The course employs a predesigned case study replicating a school setting to move students beyond theory and into the interpersonal relationships and personal dimensions of school leadership practices. The underlying conceptual framework that guided course development is presented in three sections: (1) a description of the laboratory course design and structure; (2)...
Student Aspirations: A Critical Dimension in Effective Schools
Published in Research in Rural Education (Vol. 6, No. 2), this paper argues that high student aspirations are part of a positive school climate and an important component of school effectiveness strategies. Outlines research needed to clarify these relationships and to examine the impact of teacher and staff behavior on student aspirations.
Focused on Student Success: A Five-Year Research Study on Models, Networks, and Policies to Support and Sustain Rigor and Relevance for ALL Students
Linda Lucey, Doug Silver, Michael Corso, and Kristine Fox
The Successful Practices Network, the International Center for Leadership in Education, and the Council of Chief State School Officers, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, embarked on a five-year high school initiative to identify, analyze, enrich, and disseminate the nation's most successful schoolwide practices and policies as a way to achieve a rigorous and relevant...
The Active Voice: The Role of Student Voice in Promoting Students' Engagement in School
Dr. Matthew J. Bundick
This is a commentary draft of the paper presented by Dr. Matthew J. Bundick at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2012 Conference in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
School Voice Model
The progression of 30 plus years of research and fieldwork on voice and aspirations has led to the School Voice Model, which represents a dynamic process that allows all stakeholders in the school community to develop their voice in a way in which it is heard, respected, and valued.
Student Voice, Aspirations, and Santa Claus
In two sessions using the cutting edge webinar format, Shindig, Dr. Quaglia and Dr. Corso discussed the importance of student voice and how that impacts student aspirations and overall student success in schools. They shared from both the Student Voice and Teacher Voice Surveys and implications for Santa will be evident.
Education Fast Forward EFF11
EFF11: Mobile learning for the Masses? Mobile learning has triggered again the discussions about the unfulfilled potential of technology in education. With quite different meanings according to contexts, m-learning has recently emerged as a major opportunity to transform school education, bring more learning opportunities at home or even to reach marginalized populations, be that from a geographical or social perspective. In short, one would think that mobile learning...
How are student voice and student aspirations connected?
A short video interview with Russell Quaglia and Michael Corso filmed at Corwin Press.
Be Ready with Purpose
Dr. Russ Quaglia shares his concern about the multiple goals schools have. He suggests schools should prepare students to just be ready (period). This was part of his message at ASCD14 @EveryLearner Someday is Now!
Students Should Be Partners
Dr. Russ Quaglia believes students must be partners in decision making if we are serious about wanting schools to improve. This was part of his message at ASCD14 @EveryLearner Someday is Now!
Dr. Russ Quaglia's ASCD Preview
A preview of Dr. Russ Quaglia's presentation at ASCD14 @EveryLearner.
Why Learner Voice
Gavin Dykes, Education World Forum; Dr. Russell Quaglia & Dr. Michael Corso, QISA
International leader in educational innovation and technology, Gavin Dykes, joins QISA President & Founder, Dr. Russell Quaglia for a discussion of how personalization can increasingly lead to learning that is better-tuned to student aspirations, enthusiasms, and ambitions.
Cultural Competency & the "Relationship Gap": Closing the Achievement Gap
Dr. Rhonda Talford Knight
Dr. Rhonda Talford Knight asks, "How do we address the 'Relationship Gap' that exists between culturally diverse students and teachers?" This webinar explores three main topics: how we define culture, the role culture plays in teaching and learning, and cultural competency.
Aspirations & Architecture: Constructing the Heart
David Reilly
This visionary webinar presents a conceptual architectural design in which to infuse the heart of student aspirations: a product-based, community-focused curriculum that provides students with the ability and opportunity to transform their communities.
Program Evaluation: How to Count What Really Counts
Sarah Rawlings, Director of Research and Evaluation, QISA
With a focus on professional educators who drive decisions based on data, rather than "data-driven decision-making," this webinar will help educators evaluate programs in a way that leads to action.
Being on a Student Aspirations Team
Julie Hellerstein, QISA Director of Student Support
This informative video gives students an idea of what being on a Student Aspirations Team is all about!
Engaging Students: From Responsibility for Self to National Leaders
Dawn Haywood, Chief Executive, Student Engagement Trust & Director, Aspirations Academies Trust
This webinar explores an approach to student voice and leadership that provides a pathway for students to take responsibility for themselves and their own learning.
The New Normal in Education: Vision for a New Learner
Raymond J. McNulty, Dean of Education, SNHU
The once passive role of the student is transforming into that of a learner - a more active, independent, and self-empowered role. This ACTION Center webinar considers this monumental shift and the implications it has for the professional educator.
New Pedagogies for Deep Learning
Dr. Maria Langworthy, Chief Research Officer, Michael Fullan Enterprises
This ACTION Center webinar introduces the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning Global Partnership, and discusses how this initiative is working to mobilize learning to help students achieve their aspirations.
iKnow My Class: Seeing Your Classroom From the Other Side of the Desk
Dr. Michael Corso & Julie Hellerstein, QISA
This ACTION Center webinar provides an overview of how iKnow My Class captures the real issues that impact student learning beyond content - relevance, meaningful engagement, and positive relationships.
Student Voice: Are We Ready?
Dr. Russell Quaglia & Dr. Michael Corso, QISA
Despite a growing fan base, student voice has not yet been meaningfully integrated within our schools; this webinar features a discussion between QISA leaders, Dr. Russell Quaglia and Dr. Michael Corso, about the readiness factors that must be assessed and revisited in schools seeking to foster purposeful dialogue with students.
Student Engagement Video by Rivers Academy West London
Rivers Academy West London Student Leaders
Student leaders at Rivers Academy West London (an Aspirations Academy in the U.K.) created this video to raise awareness at about the issue of peer support, as well as present "top tips" for being a supportive student.
Race to the Top & My Voice
Dr. Russell Quaglia, QISA President & Founder
Dr. Russell Quaglia speaks about My Voice Ohio in the Race to the Top effort.