This report focuses on elements of U.S. students' deeper learning, including how district leaders believe middle and high schoolers' critical thinking skills are best developed in their schools, whether students' input about teaching and learning is collected in these schools, district leaders' examples of their schools’ most effective forms of project-based learning, and districts' theories of action for teaching and learning.

Encouraging Deeper Learning in Middle and High School

Selected Findings from American School District Panel Surveys

Heather L. Schwartz, Melissa Kay Diliberti

ResearchPublished Sep 26, 2024

Teaching deeper learning involves cultivating the critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills that students need to be successful in their college, career, and civic life. It also involves encouraging students to be active participants in their learning. Public schools across the United States often work to help students develop these skills.

This report focuses on several elements of students' deeper learning based on fall 2023 and spring 2024 surveys administered to American School District Panel member district leaders. It summarizes how district leaders believe middle and high schoolers' critical thinking skills are best developed in their schools, whether students' input about teaching and learning is collected in these schools, district leaders' examples of their schools' most effective forms of project-based learning, and districts' theories of action for teaching and learning.

Key Findings

  • District leaders' examples of successful teaching of critical thinking skills—a key element of deeper learning—fell into four main categories: teachers posing high-level questions, project-based learning, real-world problem-solving activities, and activities that students chose rather than were assigned.
  • These examples align with research on effective methods for teaching critical thinking.
  • According to reports from district leaders, districts engaged in a wide variety of project-based learning, most commonly in the form of science, technology, engineering, math, and career and technical education classes. However, some districts reported embedding project-based learning in every grade and every subject.
  • Seven of ten school district leaders reported formally collecting students' input about teaching and learning, which is another element of deeper learning. The changes that these districts reported making based on student input often related to making instruction more hands-on and engaging.

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Schwartz, Heather L. and Melissa Kay Diliberti, Encouraging Deeper Learning in Middle and High School: Selected Findings from American School District Panel Surveys, RAND Corporation, RR-A956-28, 2024. As of October 15, 2024: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA956-28.html
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Schwartz, Heather L. and Melissa Kay Diliberti, Encouraging Deeper Learning in Middle and High School: Selected Findings from American School District Panel Surveys. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2024. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA956-28.html.
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