Community Service and Service Learning in America's Schools

Research shows that when young people participate in service, they are more likely to continue on a pathway of lifelong civic engagement. Research also shows that service-learning, an approach to education that ties community service to classroom instruction and reflection, contributes to students' success and has a positive impact on their social behavior, habits, and attitudes. In an effort to better understand the trends in community service and service-learning, the Corporation surveyed a national sample of over 2,000 K-12 public school principals regarding service in their schools and compared findings to a 1999 study, analyzing changes over time. The research report Community Service and Service-Learning in America's Schools (2008) provides insight into the prevalence of community service and service-learning in public schools as well as the supports and policies in place to sustain and build service-learning programs. The full report, and other research by the Corporation for National and Community Service, can be found at www.nationalservice.gov/research.