Driving and improving student success is a top goal for educators. Factors that contribute to success vary, ranging from student preparation to motivation to engagement. In truth, student success takes on many forms like meeting academic or curriculum goals and developing social skills.
Last month, we surveyed education professionals. Survey respondents included principals, assistant principals, superintendents, teachers, coordinators, administrative assistants, secretaries, coaches, and more.
We asked respondents ﹘ across Pre-K to Higher Education ﹘ what they consider to be the biggest barrier to student success.
Let’s take a look at the results below or in this free infographic.
Top 10 Barriers to Student Success
According to the survey, nearly a quarter of the respondents agree that a lack of organization is the top barrier.
Not far behind, 20 percent of the surveyed educational professionals attribute a lack of at-home support as the biggest barrier to their students succeeding. Namely, this support consists of parental, guardian, and family support.
In addition to these 10 barriers, close runner ups include:
- Student ownership and accountability
- Inadequate resources
- Lack of consistency in students’ education
- Attendance
- Peer pressure
- Poor attention spans
3 Ways to Contribute to Student Success
Every school, student, and school culture is different. Here are some ways to help elevate student achievement:
1. Focus on school culture.
Is your school’s culture a positive or negative experience? Dig deep into the current state of your school’s culture and analyze the factors that contribute to both its positive and negative aspects. Work with stakeholders to devise a plan that continually contributes to positive school culture.
2. Explore all factors.
If anything, the results of this survey show that there is a variety of reasons and circumstances that impede success.
For example, the survey responses indicate that observed issues like “time management,” “lack of motivation,” “poverty,” and “underdeveloped skills” all dovetail each other in terms of concern.
Fixing one element doesn’t mean that it will change a school’s system as a whole.
3. Involve your stakeholders.
Have you taken a roll call of your stakeholders? Leadership is critical to successfully launching initiatives that contribute to student success. However, there are other key members that should be involved from the beginning.
Students, parents, faculty, staff, school board members, and community leaders all have a hand in the outcome of student success. From the start, ensure that the appropriate stakeholders are involved and keep the communication loop open.
An excellent starting point may be asking your stakeholders to identify their expectations of what success means for them.
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