Principles and Standards of Effective Programs

K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice

In April 2008, the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC) released the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice (RMC Research Corporation, 2008). Based on research evidence and expert opinion, NYLC proposed the following seven standards for effective service-learning programs:

Service-learning actively engages participants in meaningful and personally relevant service activities. To meet this standard, service-learning needs to be
- age-appropriate and personally relevant,
- interesting and engaging,
- well-understood by participants in the context of social issues addressed, and
- outcome-oriented with specific attainable outcomes.
Service-learning is intentionally used as an instructional strategy to meet learning goals and/or content standards. To meet this standard, programs need to have
- clearly stated goals,
- be aligned with the academic curriculum,
- include explicit teaching of transferring skills from one setting to another, and
- for school-based programs, be formally recognized in school board policies and in student records.
Service-learning incorporates multiple challenging reflection activities that are ongoing and that prompt deep thinking and analysis about oneself and one’s relationship to society. Students should participate in a variety of activities to demonstrate changes in their knowledge, skills, or attitudes. Additionally, students should examine their beliefs, assumptions, and attitudes about issues, perceptions of their roles as members of their community, and the overarching issues of community problems.
Service-learning promotes understanding of diversity and mutual respect among all participants. To meet this standard, programs should integrate teaching focused on taking the perspective of the other, conflict resolution, and promoting tolerance of diversity and overcoming stereotypes.
Service-learning provides youth with a strong voice in planning, implementing, and evaluating service-learning experiences with guidance from adults. Service-learning programs should consistently integrate opportunities for participants to voice their opinions, propose ideas and solutions, and participate in decision-making processes.
Service-learning partnerships are collaborative, mutually beneficial, and address community needs. Service-learning programs should engage a variety of partners—including youth, educators, families, community members, community-based organizations, and/or businesses—in communications, knowledge sharing, and goal setting.

Engaging Youth With and Without Disabilities

Key Elements

Through a review of the literature, Dymond, Renzaglia, and Chun (2007) identified key elements of service-learning programs:

Authentic context
Links to the curriculum
Home, school, and community partnerships
Programmatic support
Frequency of instruction
Planning and preparation
Action
Reflection
Celebration
Student assessment and program evaluation
Student participation and ownership
Teacher, adult, and community participation

For a more detailed explanation of these key elements, see Considerations for Including Students with Disabilities. From focus groups with programs that successfully engage students with disabilities in service-learning Dymond et al. found that all of these elements were also essential for effective inclusive programs, but how the concepts were defined was adjusted to support the student population. Within the descriptions, text in italics reflects changes that focus groups made to the core elements and their descriptions to for effective inclusive service-learning programs.

Students with Social-Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Rockwell (2001) suggests there is an added challenge to effectively supporting students with emotional and behavioral disorders in service-learning. She suggests three stages for effectively engaging these youth. The table below describes these stages and suggested projects to accommodate them.

Table 1: Stages of Service Learning for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Stage	Characteristics and Needs	Suggested Projects
Stage 1	During Stage 1, students exhibit high rates of noncompliance that may escalate to verbal and physical aggression. Trust and safety issues are of primary importance in establishing rules, routines, and protective structure. Projects that allow students to make a personal contribution to a group effort without having to interact with peers help individuals begin to develop a positive sense of belonging without being overwhelmed socially and emotionally.	- Compose cards for the elderly. - Fill canning jars with various types of dried beads and spices. - Construct learning games for younger children who need assistance. - Paint clay pets and plant seeds to give to people who are shut in. - Make potholders or quilt squares.
Stage 2	During Stage 2, students have begun to trust one another and exhibit fewer acts of aggression. A shift begins to occur in their orientation toward working with others and their sense of group activity. The primary needs of the group include activities that allow them to practice skills in making decisions and working with a peer. While the skills necessary for age-appropriate cooperation have not been mastered, dyads can often successfully manage well-structured activities.	- Feed and wash dogs at an animal shelter. - Develop construction projects that require simple tools, such as building birdhouses. - Plan and care for a section of a garden with a partner. - Tutor a younger student. - Assist an elderly person with daily tasks.
Stage 3	During Stage 3, students have established satisfactory levels of safety and trust. They take pride in belonging to the group and have mastered the social skills necessary for the more complex interactions with peers as well as other adults. At this stage in the group's development, all age-appropriate activities are possible. Movement into the community to generalize skills learned in the classroom is of particular value.	- Collaborate with other classes. Restore a local park. - Collaborate with other schools. Develop a common nature study area. - Collaborate with community agencies. - Tackle a local environmental issue such as pollution.

Table adapted from Service-learning: Barriers, benefits and models of excellence (Rockwell, 2001).

View References References

Dymond, S. K., Renzaglia, A., & Chun, E. (2007). Elements of effective high school service learning programs that include students with and without disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 28(4), 227-243.

RMC Research Corporation. (2008). Standards and indicators for effective service-learning practice. Scotts Valley, CA: National Service-Learning Clearinghouse. Retrieved from
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/k-12_facts/standards

Rockwell, S. (2001). Service-learning: Barriers, benefits and models of excellence. Beyond Behavior, 10(3), 16-21.