SoundOut worked with a number of partner agencies, schools, and the state education agency to facilitate the SoundOut School Improvement Planning Pilot Project. Elementary, middle, and high schools across Washington State joined in student voice training, programs, and evaluations regarding the role of students in formal school improvement activities.

From 2003 to 2006, SoundOut worked in elementary, middle, and high schools across Washington State to facilitate training, programs, and evaluations regarding the role of students in formal school improvement activities. We created professional development, student training, whole-school forums, and systemic evaluations of student voice and meaningful student involvement. Funding was provided by the HumanLinks Foundation, with additional support from Yakima Public Schools, and the Center for Bridging the Digital Divide.

Pilot Schools

• Lewis and Clark Middle School (Yakima, WA) SoundOut facilitated a school improvement planning process for 35 traditional and nontraditional student leaders, 10 teachers, and several administrators focused integrating student voice in school improvement. The 750 students in this urban school all participated in a student co-designed survey. Afterwards, students analyzed the data, identified their priorities, and presented information to building and district leaders.
• Ridgeview Elementary School (Yakima, WA) SoundOut facilitated a school improvement planning process for 25 students and 5 teacher-partners. Participants completed training on student voice and co-designed a survey with their school improvement facilitator. Afterwards, they created action plans that will sustain an annual student team focused on school improvement in their building.
• Spanaway Elementary School (Bothell, WA) SoundOut facilitated several training programs for students and educators at Spanaway focused on student voice and service learning.
• Dayton High School (Dayton, WA) SoundOut facilitated training in meaningful student involvement for 20 student leaders, who then facilitated student voice forums for every student in this rural eastern Washington school. Those forums led to the creation of four action plans that were presented to the student body.
• Friday Harbor High School (Friday Harbor, WA) SoundOut facilitated a school improvement planning process focused on meaningful student involvement in this rural island high school. School-wide forums and classes led by students brought a new commitment among students and teachers to promote student voice at the school.
• Secondary Academy for Success (Bothell, WA) SoundOut provided training to nontraditional student leaders at this alternative high school in suburban Seattle. After facilitating a school-wide forum for 150 students on school improvement in Spring 2003, students have joined committees and made reports to the school board on how they think schools should change.

Related Articles

• Student Voice Training
• Meaningful Student Involvement Schools
• SoundOut School Transformation

SoundOut has contracted with Seattle Public Schools several times to support student voice in equity and race relations as well as service learning. Our activities have included project planning, program design and delivery, evaluation, writing, training, technical assistance, speaking, and professional development services.

In a variety of ways, SoundOut has been involved with the district’s Service Learning Seattle program since 2001. SoundOut Founding Director Adam Fletcher has been an advisor and spoke at several of the annual symposia hosted by the program.

From 2010 through 2015, SoundOut consulted Service Learning Seattle’s Youth Engagement Zone. In this capacity, we have provided program design, facilitation, evaluation, strategic planning, and freelance writing services. Our activities have included:

• Advising the district service learning program affecting app. 40,000 K-12 students.
• Co-creating and facilitating two ten-hour symposia on student voice for 150 attendees
• Conceptualizing, planning, and co-facilitating a multi-year professional learning community providing 50 hours of professional development for 45 nonprofit workers focused on youth engagement.
• Designing and managing an 80-hour summer learning program focused using student-driven technology education as part of a Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum with four staff members serving 20 high school students.

Related Content

• Student Engagement
• Seattle Public Schools Student Equity Project

Elsewhere Online

• Seattle Public Schools Service Learning Seattle