Case Studies
Case Studies
These case studies were compiled to highlight the impact of the Aspirations Framework in schools.
In 2010 Woodside High School forged a partnership with the Quaglia Institute, and in the spring of 2011, WHS adopted the 8 Conditions as its revised Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLR’s) and as a framework to amplify student voice in their school community. Since then, student voice has truly become a way of being at Woodside High.
Youngstown City School District, OH
As part of a comprehensive turnaround effort,initiated and supported by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) through a state appointed Academic Distress Commission (ADC), the Quaglia Institute was brought in to work with administrators, teachers, students, and the community to improve the teaching and learning environment in YCSD schools.
Conway Elementary School (CES) is located in the Horry County School District, South Carolina. The school is comprised of grades Pre K–grade 5 and has a student body of 700 and a staff of 100. The Conway Elementary community has used their School Voice survey and focus group results to plot a course of action that supports school and district goals.
This midyear report highlights the Quaglia Institute’s partnership work with LAUSD from August-December 2021. This has been a challenging year for schools as they continue to navigate through the pandemic, support students in transitioning back toin-person learning, support vaccination efforts, and continually adapt to new requirements. In the midst of these challenges, we continue to beimpressed with the dedication to Student Voice & Aspirations demonstrated by the amazing educators we have the privilege of working with in the LAUSD Schools of Action.
LAUSD End of Year Report June 2021
This end-of-year report is a summary of the partnership work between LAUSD and the Quaglia Institute throughoutthe 2020-21 school year. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Quaglia Institute delivered all services virtually, including 51 professional learning sessions with Aspirations Teams at 14 Schools of Action. Ultimately, the professional development sessions, data analysis, and associated school-wide activities led to meaningful learning and interactions between students and teachers at participating schools. In addition to the data updates provided in this report, we also feature the voices of administrators, teachers, and students, all of which demonstrate progress in LAUSD’s journey to amplify Student Voice & Aspirations.
This midyear report highlights the Quaglia Institute’s partnership work with LAUSD from August-December 2020. As a result of COVID-19, all services were delivered virtually, including professional learning sessions with Aspirations Teams at 14 Schools of Action, Student Voice and iKnow My Class surveys, and the My Voice, My Future student video series. We continue to beimpressed with the commitment of educators across the district to amplifying Student Voice & Aspirations, even amid the challenges presented by prolonged emergency remote learning.
This document is an addendum to the May 2020 report, providing an overview of results from the Student Voice surveys that were not yet available in May. During the fall of 2019, a total of 8,423 Student Voice surveys were completed by students in LAUSD Quaglia Schools of Action. Despite school closures as a result of COVID-19, all but three of these schools provided their students the opportunity to complete the survey again during the spring of 2020, at which time 2,353 surveys were completed.
The 2019-20 school year has indeed been an academic year unlike any other. We are proud to report that despitethe interruption COVID-19 brought to the typical flow of a school year,the LAUSD Quaglia Schools of Action have risen to the occasion! Efforts to amplify students’ voices and aspirations are not only surviving, but thriving. Aspirations Teams were able to quickly mobilize and leverage previous work in the area of student voice todrive support for students and families as they collectively transitioned to emergency remote learning. While this has not been an ideal way to conclude the final round of professional development sessions, we are incredibly impressed with the commitment of administrators and teachers.
This midyear report highlights the Quaglia Institute’s partnership with LAUSD, including onsite sessions with 15 Schools of Action, Student Voice survey use and application, as well as training a group of educators to become certified as Student Voice & Aspirations Facilitators in order to build internal capacity and sustainability. We are incredibly proud of the commitment these schools have made to amplify student voice and the actions they are taking to truly create sustainable change.
Guardian Angels’ School Student Voice Case Study – 2025
This year’s theme, “Powered by Joy”, brought arenewed focus to the emotional climate of learning. It reminded us thatjoy is not a distraction from challenge—it’s often what makes challengesustainable and worth pursuing. Joy was framed as a learning fuel: curiosity, confidence, connection and celebration. Voice played a central role in helping students name, notice and share what brought them joy—and how that joy could guide deeper learning.
Australia Quaglia Partnership March 2024
The Quaglia Institute is committed to continuing to foster student voice throughout Australia. Our work thus far with educators and students has demonstrated their unquestionable commitment to integrating student voice and aspirations as an intentional part of teaching and learning. Teachers recognise that for students to be competent and confident individuals, students must have opportunities to share their ideas and seek out new challenges. Studentsregularly express their desire to be recognised as valuable contributors not only to their own learning, but to changes that impact the good of the whole. Schools recognise the diverse interests and skills of the student population and are committed to activating studentvoices.
Guardian Angels Case Study 2023
The Student Voice 2023 case study from Guardian Angels Catholic Primary School demonstrates how student voice work grows over time. The school’s goal was to look at ways to engage and challenge all learners at Guardian Angels Ashmore. The school focused on developing their students’ ability to value their own opportunities to learn and the learning of others by minimizing interruptions to teaching and maintaining a safe school environment.
Kula Elementary School Case Study
The mission of Kula School is for parents, teachers, and students to work together to develop positive relationships and a culture of mutual respect, shared responsibility, and academic excellence. Their latest Case Study highlights how Student Voice is integral to this mission.
Kihei Student Voice Case Study 2022-23
Kihei Elementary School’s Case Study reflectsthe school’s growth during the 2022-23 academic year. Be sure to check out the links included in this case study, including the video students made talking about each of the 8 Conditions, the student video summarizing the Dolphin Ambassador meeting notes, and the posters that staff created connecting Student Voice & Aspirations and the HAFramework.
Guardian Angels Mid-Year Case Study 2023
Guardian Angels Primary School has noticed how empowering voice within their community is making a significant difference to driving learning and a community of learners that are striving to contribute actively to make a difference. The principal, Danielle Carter, shares the systems, processes and structure the school uses to ensure ‘Voice’ is a way of operation at the school. Click here to download the report.
Australia Quaglia Partnership June 2023
This report highlights the partnership work between the Quaglia Institute for School Voice & Aspirations and educators across Australia. The Quaglia Institute supports schools in their commitment to amplify student voice and help all students reach their aspirations.
Guardian Angels Voice Case Study 2022
The school’s goal in 2022 was to deepen voicewith students, parents, and staff as a way of being. The school also wanted to identify skills that their students needed to develop further to support authentic voice within the school.
Stanley Mosk Elementary School Case Study 2022
Mosk Elementary School focused on the condition of Belonging during the 2021-22 academic year. Teachers collectively brainstormed how to remind all students that they are an important part of the Mosk school community, with a view to building Self-Worth in students and cultivating a sense of Belonging for all students.
Mount Gleason Middle School Case Study 2022
Mount Gleason Middle School had specific goals for the 2021-22 academic year. As students transitioned back from distance learning due to the COVID pandemic, Mount Gleason continued itsSchool Voice & Aspirations work thoughout the school, built new andreturning staff capacity, and focused on fostering a sense of Belongingschool-wide,
Cranbourne South Primary School Case Study 2023
At CSPS student voice is valued, as is student input to school programs. The school believes that student voiceis invaluable to their practice and improves school pedagogy. Students have such great ideas that need to be heard and fostered by teachers andschool staff. By working together, students and teachers can have a positive impact on the school environment and even better yet, the widercommunity. When students are heard, they are valued. They feel a real sense of ownership and belonging to grow and learn in a safe environment.
Reseda Charter High School Case Study 2023
Sparked by the interest of school leaders to shift the culture of the school, Reseda has been intentionally embeddingand implementing the work of the Quaglia Institute since Summer 2017. An Aspirations Team composed of teachers, coordinators, and administrators receives training from the Quaglia Institute and then leads this work at Reseda; facilitating professional development for thefull faculty and implements various systems of change to amplify Student Voice across the campus. In 2018, Reseda Charter was recognized as a Quaglia School of Action. We continue this work as a entire staff and are committed to continuing this work as a Reseda Charter way of being.
Sutter Middle School Case Study 2023
This year, Sutter integrated various school-wide programs informed by the Quaglia Institute for School Voice & Aspirations (QISVA) framework. The training on effective deployment of the Student Voice Surveys is just a piece of the extensivesupport QISVA has provided to the school. In addition, the QISVA Aspirations Framework has guided many program decisions throughout the 2022-2023 school year. Sutter’s goal is to weave these conditions into the school culture at Sutter, embedding them as part of their day-to-dayethos.
Thomas Edison Middle School Case Study 2023
Edison Middle School actively seeks student involvement in many aspects of the school, from decision-making to coordinating events, to sending messages to other students. Student ambassadors helped during the WASC visit by assisting with spreading andeducating their peers regarding the school’s mission and vision. Duringthe school year, Leadership students provided tours for incoming students during articulation day, music students performed for incoming students, and students from all programs demonstrated their work. Edisoncontinues to seek student input through classroom reflections, Student Voice surveys, and Focus Group discussions.
Ernest Lawrence Middle School Case Study 2022
Ernest Lawrence Middle School serves 6-8th grade students in Chatsworth and surrounding neighborhoods. The school embraces student voice, inclusive engagement, social emotional health, and culturally responsive practices, and plans to continue prioritizing student voice through ever-evolving and impactful activities. They will continue to offer their students the opportunity to participate in the Student Voice Survey in the Fall Semester so that all stakeholders can understand how the students are feeling about their place in the school community.
Winchelsea Primary School in Australia is a shining example of using the Student Voice data, sharing it with students, listening to them, learning from them, and leading with them.
Guardian Angels Case Study 2021
2021 was the first year that student voice was investigated by staff, students, and the community at Guardian Angels Catholic Primary School. Two staff members were involved in the student voice project with Brisbane Catholic Education, partnering with the Quaglia Institute.
LAUSD End of Year Report June 2023
This end-of-year report provides a summary ofthe partnership work between the Quaglia Institute and the Los Angeles Unified School District for the 2022-23 school year. The primary focus of our work during this academic year was leveraging Student Voice &Aspirations to support schools in meeting the social-emotional needs ofstudents and increasing student engagement in the classroom.
Edison Middle School Case Study 2022
Since learning about Quaglia Institute and Student Voice & Aspirations, Edison’s mindset has shifted to deliberately incorporate Student Voice in all aspects of the school. They did not reinvent the wheel; instead, they looked at what they already had in place and identified how they could enhance it to includethe Pathways to Strengthen Voice (Students as Advocators, Collaborators, Benefactors, Partners, and Contributors). School staff now naturally share their Student Voice practices regularly in meetings and through reflections. Student Voice really has become a “way of being” at Edison Middle.
Reseda Charter School Case Study 2021-22
Reseda Charter High School is located in Reseda, CA, and has been intentionally embedding and implementing the work of the Quaglia Institute since Summer 2017. Specific goals for the 2021-2022 school year were to continue the work school-wide, build new and returning staff capacity in the Student Voice& Aspirations work, and focus on fostering a sense of belonging school-wide as students transitioned back from distance learning as a result of the COVID pandemic.
Sutter Middle School Case Study 2022
Sutter Middle School continued their partnership with the Quaglia Institute for School Voice and Aspirations (QISVA) in the 2021-2022 school year, centering on the idea that students who have a voice and believe in themselves will be actively engaged in their learning leading to increased academic motivation, achievement, and post-secondary success. When students feel a sense of purpose and belonging, they are more likely to develop high aspirations,uplift community pride, and cultivate a campus of trust and respect.
Gage Middle School Case Study 2022
Henry T. Gage Middle School is located in thecity of Huntington Park, California. The 2021-22 school year was challenging as the school returned to in-person learning. Using the3 Guiding Principles, the school centered on the reintegration process and socialization needs of the students, focused on areas to increase student engagement, and provided opportunities for students to lead discussions and share ideas, to help build their confidence.
This midyear report highlights the Quaglia Institute’s partnership work with LAUSD from August-December 2022. On-site professional learning was delivered to all Schools of Action, along with virtual sessions, Student Voice and iKnow My Class surveys, and a wide variety of resources to support continued implementation of Student Voice & Aspirations. Bright spots from within the Schools ofAction are presented as a sampling of the amazing Student Voice & Aspirations work happening across LAUSD. This report also includes reflections from Ms. Fraulein Manligas, College & Career Coach and the WASC Coordinator at Edison Middle School, who is one of the many shining lights championing this work within LAUSD.
LAUSD End of Year Report June 2022
This end-of-year report provides a summary ofthe partnership work between the Quaglia Institute and the Los Angeles Unified School District for the 2021-22 school year. LAUSD Schools of Action worked on case studies over the course of the year reflecting their Student Voice & Aspirations work–this report highlights a sampling of these case studies and includes information to access additional examples of the work done across LAUSD Schools of Action during this academic year. We continue to be impressed with the dedication of the Schools of Action, particularly amidst this challenging year of transitioning back to campus after remote learning, navigating continual change, and supporting staff and students in reestablishing school cultures where Voice & Aspirations can thrive.
