Youth-Led Equity and Achievement Research Study (YEARS) Report

The tools schools use to measure academic achievement generate essential data that can inform efforts to support students’ future success. As such, how schools define and measure achievement carries significant weight. These measurement practices shape how learning opportunities are structured, influence public perceptions of school quality, and affect outcomes tied to school accountability and funding.

But what exactly do schools mean when they say they want students to succeed? How do they promote—and ultimately assess—that success? Just as importantly, how do students themselves perceive the support their schools provide as they prepare for high school graduation and beyond?

As the primary stakeholders in our own education, we students are uniquely positioned to offer valuable insights into these questions. When systematically gathered and analyzed, student perspectives can play a critical role in shaping improvement efforts related to assessment—the tools and processes schools use to measure what students know and can do—and accountability—how those results are used to evaluate and improve schools, educators, and policies.

In this study conducted by KSVT Research, we explore these themes through a mixed-methods approach of 40 student interviews and over 2300 survey responses. Download the report to read our key findings and reflections on the implications for schools, communities, and policymakers.