Youth Participatory Evaluation gives students the opportunity to shape the conditions of their own learning. Through the You+Lead model, schools bring together diverse teams of students to learn research methods, gather insights from peers, and partner with school leaders to strengthen the student experience. This approach elevates underrepresented voices, strengthens relationships between students and educators, and positions young people as authentic partners in shaping school improvement.
During the 2022 to 23 school year, Impact Florida supported high schools in Palm Beach and Pasco counties in launching the first You+Lead Cadre. Four schools created youth evaluation teams that carried out full YPE cycles: forming teams, defining research questions, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting recommendations to their school communities. The lessons from this pilot guided the creation of this module, designed to help more schools adopt this model with clarity and confidence.
This course offers a 1 to 2 hour introduction to the Seven Steps of the YPE process and provides ready to use resources to help district and school leaders begin planning for implementation.
