Kirkwood School District

Service-learning has a positive effect on students' engagement in school

• Students engaged in service-learning have higher attendance rates than their peers who are not engaged (Shaffer 1993; Supik 1996; Shumer 1994).
• Students at all levels feel they learn more in service-learning classes than other classes (Weiler, LaGoy, Crane, and Rovner 1998; Berkas 1997).
• Students engaged in service-learning are more likely to graduate (Astin and Sax 1998; Roose, Daphne, Miller, Norris, Peacock, White and White 1997).
• Educators and students in schools with strong service-learning programs report a more positive school climate through a greater feeling of connectedness to the school (Billig and Conrad 1997; Wieler, et al. 1999) and through decreased teacher turnover and increased teacher collegiality (Weiler, et al. 1999).

Service-learning helps students acquire academic skills and knowledge

• Service-learning participation is associated with higher scores on state tests of basic skills (Anderson, Kinsley, Negroni and Price 1991) and higher grades (Shumer 1994; Shaffer 1993; Dean and Murdock 1992; O'Bannon 1999).
• Students who participate in high quality service-learning programs show greater school engagement and achievement in mathematics than non-participants (Melchior 1999).
• Middle and high school students who participate in service-learning tutoring programs increase their grade point averages and test scores in reading/language arts and math and are less likely to drop out of school (Supik 1996; Rolzinski 1990).
• Students or faculty report that service-learning improves students' ability to apply what they have learned in their communities (Eyler and Giles 1999; Gray, Ondaatje and Zakaras 1998; Oliver 1997; Nigro and Wortham 1998).

Students who participate in service-learning are less likely to engage in risk behaviors

• Middle school and high school students involved in service-learning are less likely to engage in behaviors that lead to pregnancy or arrest (Melchior 1990, Allen, Kuperminc, Philliber, and Herre 1994; Shaffer 1993).
• Students involved in service-learning are less likely to be referred to the school office for disciplinary measures (Follman 1997; 1998).

Impact on students' social and civic development

• Students who engage in service-learning programs report a greater acceptance of cultural diversity (Melchior 1999; Berkas 1997).
• High school students who participate in service-learning programs are more likely to develop bonds with adults and report that they learn from and work with the elderly and disabled (Morgan and Streb 1999).
• Students who engage in service-learning increase their understanding of how government works (Berkas 1997).
• High school students who participate in service-learning are more likely to be engaged in a community organization and are more likely to vote fifteen years after their participation in a program than those who did not participate (Youniss, McClellan and Yates 1997; Yates and Youniss 1998).

Service-learning also benefits communities

• Community members who participate in service-learning as partners with the school view youth as valued resources and positive contributors to community (Billig and Conrad 1997; 1999; Weiler, et al. 1999; Melchior 1999; Kinsley 1997).
• 90% of the partnering agencies indicate that Learn and Serve America participants help the agency improve their services to clients and the community (Melchior 1999).

Source: Learn and Serve America

Effects of Service-Learning on Students (source: Learn and Serve America)
Personal Growth

• Increases self-worth
• Increases ability to communicate and work well with others (Show-Me Goal 2)
• Decreases truancy and discipline problems
• Increases attendance
• Fosters a sense of caring for others
• Allows students to explore a variety of careers

Academic Growth

• Provides more hands-on learning, thus increasing retention of content
• Foster creative thinking
• Increases ability to develop and apply problem-solving strategies to real-life situations (Show-Me Goal 3)
• Increases ability to gather information, analyze and organize data (Show-Me Goal 1)

Citizenship Growth

• Increases awareness of community needs
• Increases participation in community events
• Increases belief that "I can make a difference"
• Develops responsible citizens (Show-Me Goal 4)

Effects of Service-Learning on Communities (source: Learn and Serve America)

• Increases involvement of community members in the school activities
• Increases support of school funding
• Increases public awareness that students are positive contributing members of society
• Builds personal relationships between community members and individual students
• Builds stronger relationships of community organizations with one another
• Builds unity by bringing together community members to work for a common purpose
• Meets real community needs through projects: hunger, poverty, safety education, human relations, advocacy, environmental, etc.
• Adds new community facilities: playgrounds, community centers, outdoor walking and reflection areas, etc.
• Creates a sense of community pride
• Creates a safer community
• Creates a cleaner community