How listening to students can help schools to improve

In this article, findings from a study of 150 10th-grade students attending 10 Boston public high schools are presented. Data obtained from surveys and interviews with the students in the study are used to illuminate how student perspectives on their school experiences can be used to strengthen reform efforts. Themes such as teacher-student relationships, the impact of high stakes testing, concerns about discipline and safety, and student goals and motivation are explored. Implications for how such a research strategy can be used to assist efforts to improve urban high school are proffered to policy makers and school district leaders.