Article Submitted by: Carolyn Rondina, Data Equity Strategist, Atlanta Public Schools Office of Equity + Social Justice
This past November, a record high 18,000 Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students in grades 4-12 completed the Amp Up APS! Student Survey, with 49 of our traditional schools achieving a response rate above 70%.
The Amp Up APS! Student Survey provides an opportunity for students to provide direct feedback to their school and district leaders about their learning experience. This includes how supported they feel academically, emotionally, and socially, with questions around Belonging, Academic Access and Opportunity, Student Voice and Engagement, and Cultural Identity and Civic Action. For more information about the survey content, click here.
Key Highlights from Amp Up APS! Student Survey Results
Belonging and Identity
- Almost all students (96%) report that they have at least one person at school who cares about them.
- About 70% of students feel a strong sense of belonging at school; however, English Learners (ELs) score approximately 10 points lower in this area.
- Encouragingly, EL students rate their schools higher than non-EL peers in how well their backgrounds and cultures are celebrated and supported.
Academic Access
- The top five reasons for absenteeism were consistent across grade levels, with students citing transportation problems, anxiety, and bad weather as primary concerns.
- Nearly 80% of students participate in school or community-based clubs/activities.
- About half of our high school students feel confident in finding internships and job opportunities.
- Roughly 35% of students believe that adults discipline students fairly.
Engagement
- Almost half of students report feeling comfortable participating in class, but don’t often tell teachers about their interests or connect assignment topics to their lives or future goals.
Civic Action
- Fewer than half of students feel confident that school leaders support them when they speak up about unfair treatment.
- Around 40% of students report having the opportunity to discuss news and current events in class, and this does not vary much by grade level.
Student Voice Spotlight
When invited to share feedback in their own words, many students highlighted their individuality and expressed a strong interest in helping adults at their school better understand their personal interests, backgrounds, and learning styles. In terms of engagement, students emphasized that personal and mental challenges often impact their participation and success in class, and they hope adults will show greater understanding of these experiences.
School Action Spotlight
Sutton Middle School Principal Dr. Dominique Merriweather said his school uses the Amp Up APS! Student Survey as a primary student voice data source to inform decision-making at the school and grade level. Dr. Merriweather said survey results are reviewed by the administrative team, counselors, and instructional leaders to identify trends related to student engagement, sense of belonging, safety, and instructional experiences.
Sutton also intentionally uses data to:
- inform school improvement planning and grade-level action steps.
- guide counseling and social emotional learning supports.
- identify instructional and climate priorities for staff professional learning.
- monitor progress over time and adjust practices based on student feedback.
“To directly impact the student experience, Sutton triangulates survey data with qualitative feedback gathered through structured conversations with student groups, including Student Ambassadors, Student Council, Jr. Beta, and other student leadership organizations,” Principal Merriweather said. “These groups help us unpack survey trends, provide context, and co-create solutions that reflect students’ lived experiences. This partnership ensures the data moves beyond reporting and into action.”
According to Dr. Merriweather, the Amp Up APS! Student Survey also provides students with an authentic and meaningful opportunity to influence their school experience. The survey reinforces that student voice is valued, and that feedback leads to tangible change.
Through follow-up conversations with student leadership groups, students see how their input informs schoolwide decisions related to culture, climate, and programming.
“This process builds trust, increases student engagement, and fosters a shared sense of ownership between students and staff,” he said. “By centering student voice in both data and dialogue, Sutton creates a more responsive, inclusive environment where students feel heard, supported, and empowered.”
