High school students from the First Ring Student Leadership Institute (FRSLI) and the Student Leadership Research Collaborative youth leadership programs, established and facilitated by Levin College’s Center for Urban Education (CUE), delivered a powerful presentation to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) Senior Leadership Team on Monday, December 2, 2024. Attended by DEW Director Stephen Dackin, the presentation showcased the students’ innovative research on chronic absenteeism in Ohio’s high schools.

These youth leadership programs, developed by CUE in collaboration with The Ohio State University, the First Ring Schools Collaborative, and the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, empower students to tackle critical educational challenges. Using the Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) framework, participants collaborate with educators and policymakers, identify pressing issues, conduct surveys, and propose evidence-based solutions, gaining essential leadership and research skills while driving meaningful change.

This year’s study involved 40 second-year students representing diverse school districts across Ohio. Guided by CUE postdoctoral fellow Dr. Rosalinda Godinez and graduate students from Levin’s Urban Education Ph.D. program, the students surveyed over 3,000 high school peers from over 40 districts. Their research identified key factors affecting attendance such as extracurricular involvement, teacher relationships, and social media use; and provided actionable recommendations to reduce chronic absenteeism.

Director Dackin praised the students’ work and plans to connect them with additional policymakers to amplify their findings. He also expressed interest in their ongoing research into teacher shortages, another pressing issue in education today.

This presentation underscores Levin College’s commitment to advancing educational equity, fostering youth leadership, and shaping policy through innovative research.