Sara Kemper and Laura Potter, researchers with the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement’s (CAREI) Evaluation Core, were key authors on a report released by Education Evolving, Seeing Opportunity with the Minnesota Student Survey.

Student surveys are critical to student-centered learning. They help paint a holistic picture of student experiences—and inform school improvement in areas like engagement, climate, and culture. Minnesota’s survey provides some key insights currently, but could be even more valuable if it was more relevant to and used by those who work with youth each day: educators, families, and students themselves.

This report presents recommendations stemming from conversations with survey users across Minnesota as well as a 50-state analysis of surveys around the country, including to:

• Shorten the survey and provide disaggregated results to schools faster
• Make it easier to act on survey results and get support from state agencies in doing so
• Branch off a second, shorter annual survey schools could give as a pulse-check for their school improvement efforts