K-12 as a Key Setting for Human Development: Pathways to Enhancing School Belonging
Institute of Human Development integrative panel
Sean Darling-Hammond, PhD, JD, Assistant Professor, UC Berkeley School of Public Health
Brian F. Villa, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar, UC Berkeley School of Public Health / Institute of Human Development
Devin Corrigan, Supervisor of Analytics / City Liaison, San Francisco Unified School District
Allison Firestone, PhD, Educational Policy Analyst, San Francisco Unified School District
Discussant: Susan Stone, PhD, Interim Dean, UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare
When students feel they belong, they are more likely to be academically engaged, to have high attendance, to perform better in school, and to be protected against substance use, mental health decline, and justice system involvement. How can we create k-12 school environments where students of all backgrounds feel they belong? This session brings together the perspectives of students, school leaders, and scholars via 3 brief presentations regarding:
- A synthesis of findings from YPAR and youth-led work at San Francisco Unified (Dr. Brian Villa).
- A synthesis of findings from San Francisco Unified School District administrative staff (Devin Corrigan and Dr. Allison Firestone).
- Perspectives from a UC Berkeley scholar who studies school practices that can enhance belonging and connection (Dr. Sean Darling-Hammond).