School Connectedness Helps Students Thrive

What to know

  • School connectedness exists when students feel that adults and peers in school care about the students as individuals and about their learning.
  • This includes a sense of being cared for, being valued and supported, and belonging at school.
In a classroom, a teacher leaning in to view a student's work with another student looking on and listening.

Why it's important

When youth feel connected to their school, they are less likely to experience:

  • Poor mental health.
  • Sexual health risks.
  • Substance use.
  • Violence.

And more likely to:

  • Engage in positive health behaviors (physical activity and healthy eating).
  • Have higher grades and test scores, have better school attendance, and graduate high school.

Benefits of promoting school connectedness

School connectedness and health equity

School connectedness is helpful to all students, but not all students benefit equally.

Did you know?‎

Youth who report feeling less connected at school include students experiencing racism. They include students from racial and ethnic minority groups. And they include students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+).

Schools can play a key role in creating connectedness—by using strategies that are inclusive and focus on reducing health disparities.

School connectedness has lasting effects

School connectedness has long-lasting effects on health and well-being.

Youth who feel connected at school are less likely to have certain health risks. These health risks are related to sexual health, substance use, violence, and mental health in adulthood.

Taking action to promote school connectedness

Restorative practices

A diverse group of high school students in classroom.
Promoting School Connectedness Through Restorative Practices
Restorative practices are evidence-based methods for schools to build safe and healthy communities.

For schools

A teenager and teacher walking through a school hall and talking.
What Schools Can Do
Schools can take action to promote students' health and development—to feel cared for and supported.
A male and female students sitting and talking outside school building.
Safe and Supportive School Environments
Safe and supportive school environments encourage students to be more engaged in their school life.

Physical activity

Schools can offer physical activity options like physical education, recess, and classroom physical activity. These give students time to practice skills, such as resolving conflicts, respecting others, cooperating, helping others, and being a role model.

students at school doing a relay race
Student Physical Education and Physical Activity
Schools can encourage students to get the nationally recommended daily physical activity.

All of these skills help enhance school connectedness.

See Also: Association Between Adolescent Self-Reported Physical Activity Behaviors and Feeling Close to People at School During the COVID-19 Pandemic

CDC programs

What Works in Schools

What Works in Schools is an evidence-based approach to school-based health that has been shown to improve health behaviors and experiences. When schools use What Works in Schools, the program also supports mental health and reduces suicidality.

Healthy Schools Program

The Healthy Schools Program is a school-based program for students to learn about health, and see and experience healthy environments. The program also gives students the chance to practice healthy behaviors, which improve their health now and in the future.

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Content Source:
Adolescent and School Health; National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion