Belonging supports engagement.
Students who feel connected to school are more likely to demonstrate stronger attendance, participation, academic engagement, and school completion.
CDC, 2024; Korpershoek et al., 2020Research & Evidence
Research & Evidence
The science behind belonging.
The evidence behind the practice.
Belonging Made Visible™ translates research on school belonging, school connectedness, relationships, school climate, student voice, and equitable access into practical ways to examine what students see, hear, and experience in schools.
Why belonging matters
A strong evidence base—and a practical reason to pay attention.
Relationships matter.
Teacher support and positive student–adult relationships are consistently associated with stronger school belonging.
Allen et al., 2018; Osterman, 2000Belonging supports well-being.
School connectedness is an important protective factor associated with student health, safety, and well-being.
Wilkins et al., 2023Belonging must be examined through an equity lens.
Students do not necessarily experience belonging, support, access, and opportunity in the same ways.
Wilkins et al., 2023What the research tells us
Belonging is shaped by relationships, environments, voice, and access.
Relationships & Support
Research consistently points to caring adults, teacher support, and positive peer relationships as central conditions for belonging.
School Climate & Connectedness
Safe, supportive, and inclusive school environments are associated with stronger connection, engagement, and well-being.
Student Voice & Agency
Meaningful opportunities to contribute and influence school life can strengthen agency, competence, and belonging.
Equity, Identity & Access
Evidence shows that connectedness varies across student groups, making identity, inclusion, access, and opportunity essential to examine.
Featured research
A focused starting point.
These sources represent foundational reviews, meta-analyses, national data, and research on student voice. They are not intended to be an exhaustive literature review.
Allen et al. (2018)What Schools Need to Know About Fostering School Belonging
A meta-analysis identifying individual, relational, and school-level factors associated with belonging.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024)School Connectedness Helps Students ThriveA practitioner-friendly overview connecting school connectedness with academic, health, and well-being outcomes.
Wilkins et al. (2023)School Connectedness and Risk Behaviors and Experiences Among High School StudentsNational data examining connectedness, health, safety, and differences across student populations.
Korpershoek et al. (2020)The Relationships Between School Belonging and Student OutcomesA meta-analytic review of motivational, social-emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes.
Osterman (2000)Students’ Need for Belonging in the School CommunityA foundational review of belonging, acceptance, relationships, and the role of school communities.
Goodenow and Grady (1993)School Belonging and Academic MotivationA study of belonging, peer values, and academic motivation among urban adolescent students.
Mitra (2004)The Significance of StudentsResearch connecting meaningful student voice with growth in agency, competence, and belonging.
From research to practice
Belonging Made Visible™ asks schools to move from intention to evidence.
Research helps identify conditions associated with belonging.
Belonging Made Visible™ helps educators and leaders examine whether those conditions are actually visible in students' daily experiences.
ResearchPracticeStudent Experience
Research commitment
Clear about what the evidence says—and what we have developed.
Belonging Made Visible™ draws from peer-reviewed research, governmental research, and established educational scholarship. We distinguish between research findings, research-informed practices, and tools developed within the Belonging Made Visible™ framework.
As the research on school belonging continues to grow, our evidence base will continue to evolve.
References
Featured sources
- Allen, K., Kern, M. L., Vella-Brodrick, D., Hattie, J., & Waters, L. (2018). What schools need to know about fostering school belonging: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 30(1), 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-016-9389-8
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, November 18). School connectedness helps students thrive. https://www.cdc.gov/youth-behavior/school-connectedness/
- Goodenow, C., & Grady, K. E. (1993). The relationship of school belonging and friends' values to academic motivation among urban adolescent students. The Journal of Experimental Education, 62(1), 60–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973.1993.9943831
- Korpershoek, H., Canrinus, E. T., Fokkens-Bruinsma, M., & de Boer, H. (2020). The relationships between school belonging and students' motivational, social-emotional, behavioural, and academic outcomes in secondary education: A meta-analytic review. Research Papers in Education, 35(6), 641–680. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2019.1615116
- Mitra, D. L. (2004). The significance of students: Can increasing “student voice” in schools lead to gains in youth development? Teachers College Record, 106(4), 651–688. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9620.2004.00354.x
- Osterman, K. F. (2000). Students' need for belonging in the school community. Review of Educational Research, 70(3), 323–367. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543070003323
- Wilkins, N. J., Krause, K. H., Verlenden, J. V., Szucs, L. E., Ussery, E. N., Allen, C. T., Stinson, J., Michael, S. L., & Ethier, K. A. (2023). School connectedness and risk behaviors and experiences among high school students—Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2021. MMWR Supplements, 72(1), 13–21. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su7201a2