8SERVICE LEARNING How Effective an Educational Tool Is Student Community Service?

Despite the popular appeal among the public, educators, parents, and even students for community service, there is surprisingly little firm evidence that students who engage in service learn more, develop in different ways, or learn different skills than those who do not. What are the implications for policy, further research, and school practice? he National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 capped a N recent resurgence of public interest in voluntary service for commu-nity betterment. It builds upon the National and Community Service Act of 1990, supporting volunteer work by young people as well as by retired adults and others. The second National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) follow-up survey, administered to high school students (and dropouts) in 1992, provides estimates of secondary school students ’ partic-ipation in service. About 44 percent of twelfth graders had done some type of unpaid service (school or community-based) during the previous tw