Student engagement in high performing urban high schools: a case study

UnrestrictedWhile there is considerable research on the elements needed for successful schooling, the research is more limited for what is needed to create and sustain successful urban high schools. However, there is a growing body of research that suggests that high performing urban schools have certain factors in common, including solid leadership, a positive and supportive school culture and good teaching. Student engagement has also been identified as a key factor related to school academic success. This mixed methods case study attempts to link student engagement with identified school practices that result in high student achievement.; The sample includes over 2,700 students at one identified high performing urban high school in southern California. The study, along with several other similar studies being conducted concurrently at other high performing urban high schools, examines whether students at this school are more or less engaged than their peers nationally. The conceptual model includes an investigation of the influence of school factors such as teaching and learning, school leadership, and school culture on student engagement and student achievement. School factors that contributed to student engagement and student achievement were identified and discussed, along with implications for practitioners and recommendations for future studies