Research done by Search Institute and other individuals and organizations provides convincing data that Developmental Assets make a positive difference for young people. In particular, there is a growing body of research that shows a direct correlation between asset building and student success. In 2004, Alaska ICE staff conducted a literature analysis of 129 research study reports, program evaluations, and literature reviews that explore the relationship between assets and academic success. The following pages provide a summary of these studies and illustrate this powerful correlation.

In Great Places to Learn (1999), the Search Institute identifies 13 of the 40 assets that schools can most directly influence: Parent Involvement in Schooling, Other Adult Relationships, Peer Influence, Interpersonal Competence, High Expectations, Caring School Climate, School Boundaries, School Engagement, Bonding to School, Academic Motivation, Homework, Reading for Pleasure, and Youth Programs. Alaska ICE chose to focus the research review on these 13 assets and how they relate to academic achievement. In addition, two additional categories kept appearing as significant to student success: Teacher Behaviors/Characteristics and Cultural Awareness/Inclusion. We have added our findings in these areas to the list of assets.

We clustered the assets in the following groups, in order to discuss them more broadly:

Relationships - The quality and consistency of relationships in a student’s life has a significant influence on how motivated he is and how well he performs in school. The people that are important to that student are arguably the strongest persuasions on whether he values his school experience or not. Parents, other family members, teachers, mentors, other adults in the community, and peers all impact a student’s academic achievement, and research provides the following evidence for those influences. (Assets included: parent involvement, other adult relationships, teacher behaviors/charcteristics, peer influence, interpersonal competence)

School Environments - The perception students have of their school environment provides a notably important influence on student achievement rates. Schools that establish a positive, caring, and safe learning environment with fair and consistent boundaries while also nurturing an enthusiasm for learning are more likely to have higher performing students. Communicating high expectations, providing the support to meet learning goals, and creating opportunities for active student participation are also successful strategies. In addition, schools with Native student populations also benefit from devoting attention to students’ cultural backgrounds and heeding the learning traditions of their pupils. Also see the How Schools Can Help section for more discussion on school structuring strategies. (Assets included: High Expectation, Caring School Climate, School Boundaries, School Engagement, Bonding to School, Achievement Motivation, Cultural Awareness)

Activities - Schools obviously have a great influence on how students spend their time during school hours, but there are also ways they can influence student achievement during non-school hours as well. In our review of the research, we found evidence that students who have regular homework assignments, spend some time reading for pleasure, and are involved in other types of extracurricular activities and programs were also demonstrating higher achievement scores in school. (Assets included: Homework, Reading for Pleasure, Youth Programs)

School Climate and Connectedness and Social-Emotional Learning - Climate can be thought of as external assets (things outside of students that predict, indicate, or promote connectedness) whereas connectedness can be thought of as internal assets (students’ feelings, perceptions, and beliefs). There is a growing body of research that shows an association between positive school climate and connectedness and academic achievement.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which we learn to recognize and manage emotions, care about others, make good decisions, behave ethically and responsibly, develop positive relationships, and avoid negative behaviors . It is the process through which students enhance their ability to integrate thinking, feeling, and behaving in order to achieve important life tasks.

Research focused specifically on American Indian and Alaska Native students

Here are some other research-related resources:

Incorporating Youth Development Principles into Adolescent Health Programs: A Guide for State-Level Practitioners and Policy Makers (pdf)

This paper, by Becky Judd of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, describes concrete ways to incorporate youth development principles into state adolescent health programs and is relevant across a range of issues (e.g., teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, violence, substance abuse, etc.).

Asset Building and Student Achievement - The complete Literature Review and Bibliography of Research and Resources by associate researcher, Kayla Boettcher. (Developmental Assets, School Environments, Activities, How Schools can Help, Helpful Resources, Annotated Bibliography, Other Relevant Sources) (2004)

How Schools Can Help - Students and schools reap great benefits when the school environment is intentional about building assets. However, rather than thinking of asset building as another program or responsibility added to already over-burdened schools, it is actually best to think of it as an integral part of all the current activities and goals of a school. In Great Places to Learn (Starkman, Scales, & Roberts, 1999), five school strategies are offered as areas of the school system that could be structured with asset building as an intentional focus. In our review of the literature, we found convincing evidence that many of these strategies are also correlated with improved academic achievement.

Other Helpful Web-based Resources - For more related research, or other youth development and school-related resources, visit the websites recommended on this page.

Annotated Bibliography - an annotated bibliography of the sources cited within our studies.

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