Student success
Fuel progress with holistic approach
We all want students to thrive. Yet we often have differing views on what success in education looks like—and how to provide it equitably. Some define achievement by academic performance. Other experts stress the importance of equipping students with such social-emotional skills as self-awareness, effective communication and empathy.
But ensuring our children’s longterm success isn’t an either/or equation. Research consistently shows that putting kids on a strong path for the future isn’t determined by a single aspect of education. Instead, it’s about meeting each student’s academic, emotional and social needs.
That’s because learning is an interconnected process. The Aspen Institute states that individuals’ “social, emotional and cognitive capabilities are fundamentally intertwined—they are interdependent in their development, experience and use.” When children obtain these core competencies, they are more likely to flourish in school, the workplace, at home and in the community. The international nonprofit notes that these essential skills provide kids with “long-term social and economic benefits,” from higher graduation rates to increased labor force productivity and earning potential.
At City Year Little Rock, we’ve seen how a more holistic approach to education delivers results for our kids and communities firsthand through our work in Little Rock’s public schools.
Since 2004, we have partnered with the Little Rock School District to enhance student outcomes through our evidence-based Whole School, Whole Child Approach. Each academic year, we train and support up to 30 AmeriCorps members to serve as student success coaches. These young adults, ages 17 to 25, serve in schools all day, every day, providing one-on-one and small-group instruction; extended-day activities, such as homework assistance and afterschool programs; and regular social-emotional skill-building opportunities. They collaborate with local school administrators and teachers to deliver data-driven interventions and build welcoming environments where all students can access support to reach their full potential.
It’s been nearly two decades, and City Year Little Rock’s integrated model continues to set up central Arkansas students for success. A 2020 study by the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University found that the more time students spent with AmeriCorps members, the more they improved their academic, emotional and social skills. Research also shows AmeriCorps members continually help their partner schools increase student readiness. Each day, they build a culture of learning that better prepares kids for college, career and civic life.
We’ve learned at City Year Little Rock that we can’t expect our students to succeed in school or their future careers if we don’t give them the right tool kit. Our Whole School, Whole Child approach is a prime example of the benefits of a multifaceted approach to education—both for kids and communities. Find out how to advance City Year Little Rock’s impact, either through a contribution or as an AmeriCorps member, at cityyear.org/little-rock.