Promoting Positive Adult-Student Connections

Key Insights

Research shows a lack of a meaningful connection to school can lead to chronic absenteeism, academic struggles, and dropping out of school. Fortunately, that connection can be as simple as having an adult who knows a student and cares about his or her well-being.

Administrators at Washoe County School District in Reno, Nevada, realized that meaningful adult-student connections are too important to be left to chance. As part of a broader social-emotional learning campaign, Washoe County implemented a simple exercise to map out the relationships between adults and students at school. This exercise serves as a powerful strategy to identify and engage students who may otherwise pass through school unnoticed.

This resource provides a step-by-step guide with templates to help schools conduct their own relationship mapping exercise and identify students who may be disconnected and disengaged from school. The toolkit also suggests a range of strategies for adults at school to better engage with students who may be at risk.