NAIS partners with the Center for Evaluation, Policy, & Research (CEPR) at Indiana University to offer the High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE) and the Middle Grades Survey of Student Engagement (MGSSE) to independent schools interested in measuring levels of student engagement.
HSSSE data offer significant value to schools that are seeking to amplify their student engagement. Rather than focusing solely on knowledge-based assessments, HSSSE delivers insights into how schools can foster 21st century skills and create safe, supportive environments that promote the well-being and growth of every student.
In spring 2025, a total of 2,257 students at NAIS member schools completed the HSSSE. In addition, public school norms are based on responses from a sample of 14,672 students.
This report presents aggregated results for students who participated in the HSSSE. The findings are categorized into three key dimensions of engagement featured in the survey:
- Cognitive Engagement: Captures the endeavors, commitment, and methodologies employed by students in the pursuit of learning, encompassing the students’ cognitive work and their approach to their work. This dimension can be characterized as “engagement of the mind.”
- Social and Participatory Engagement: Encompasses students’ participation in social, extracurricular, and nonacademic school undertakings, including their interactions with peers. This illuminates the ways students engage within their school community. This dimension can be conceptualized as “engagement in the life of the school.”
- Emotional Engagement: Highlights students’ sense of affiliation (or lack thereof) with their school, focusing on their emotions regarding their place in the school, the operations of the school, and the individuals within it. This dimension can be described as “engagement of the heart.”
Downloadable Content
Read the full report: Trends in the 2025 High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE) (PDF; member login required)
Quick View
Quick Views are high-level summaries showcasing key data points. They designed to serve as a quick reference point before diving deeper into the full analysis.
- Quick View: Trends in the 2025 High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE) (PDF)
For Nonmembers, Community Catalysts, and Standard Subscribers: Purchase the Report
We are making this essential research available to nonmembers, community catalysts, and standard subscribers for purchase in the NAIS Store. Community catalysts and standard subscribers receive 20% off. Click here to order your PDF copy.
For free access to this report, along with many other resources for independent school leaders, schools can join NAIS today. Contact our membership team if you have any questions about how NAIS membership can benefit your school.