To move this work forward, the report suggests educators integrate strategies early to collect accurate data and personalize support, leverage technology to track growth and changes in networks, prioritize areas to measure if not all are possible, and align the data collected with education leaders, researchers and funders.
Intentionally measuring student relationships can begin to close “the social side of opportunity gaps,” according to the report.
Social ties are already a top concern for parents and administrators. Survey results released in May by Learning Heroes, a nonprofit, suggested parents’ concern about the loss of social ties during COVID-19 school closures topped worries about negative impacts on academics.
