What is Student Success?

📈 EVOLUTION: How we think about student success has changed a lot over time. In the past, schools mainly cared about test scores, graduation rates, and whether students got jobs after school[1]. Now we know that student success includes much more than that. Today's definition includes getting involved in school activities, learning important life skills, staying mentally and physically healthy, and not giving up when things get tough[1][2]. This change shows that we now see students as complete people who need support in all areas of their lives, not just in their schoolwork[1].

👥 STAKEHOLDERS: Many different people need to work together to help students succeed. Students themselves are the most important part—they need to take an active role in their learning and share feedback about what works for them[3][4][5]. Parents and families help by creating supportive homes, showing that education matters, and speaking up for their children's needs[3][4][5]. Teachers and school leaders provide good instruction, create welcoming school environments, and step in to help when students need extra support[3][6]. Government officials, community groups, and local businesses also help by providing resources, setting standards, and connecting school learning to real-world experiences[5].

🎯 HOLISTIC APPROACH: Schools work best when they support students in all areas of their lives at the same time[7]. This means creating support systems that can be customized to each student's specific academic and personal needs[8][9]. The most successful schools make sure students have their basic needs met (like food, housing, healthcare, and technology), provide helpful counseling with regular check-ins, and create school environments where all students feel like they belong[7][9]. Research shows that when schools take this complete approach, students do better academically, feel better mentally, have more equal opportunities to succeed, and see positive effects that last long after graduation[9][10].