Should Faith Play a Role in Schools?

The Harvard Graduate School of Education’s (HGSE) Leadership Initiative for Faith and Education (LIFE) recently highlighted new research into the role faith-based institutions play in the public education system.

Two studies published by LIFE were discussed as part of HGSE’s Burton & English Lecture Series in March, where Senior Lecturer Irvin Scott, founder and faculty director of LIFE at the Ed School, moderated a discussion and shared findings from the studies during an event at HGSE’s Gutman Library.

The publications, one done in partnership with researchers from Grove Collective Foundation and another with Brigham Young University’s (BYU) Wheatley Institute, highlight LIFE’s efforts to “shed light” on the way public education is supplemented by secular and faith-based organizations in the communities schoolchildren call home.

“There are millions of students in our schools today who are shaped by faith communities, cultural traditions, and other sources of meaning and belonging in their lives,” said Scott. “And there is growing research exploring how those experiences impact their development academically, socially, and emotionally.”

“Faith in Educational Renewal: Religion as a Resource to Transform Learning Opportunities” was co-authored by Scott and BYU professor Bryant Jenson. It reviews the impact the religious faith of students and families has on K-12 student learning and development. The research also highlights the role faith plays for educators, along with an examination of the kinds of educational programs religious and faith-based groups have created in communities to support student academic success.

The findings highlight the limited research done in these areas previously and put forth six recommendations for religious leaders and educators to help amplify the awareness of how faith communities of all kinds can impact educational outcomes.

Scott, who often describes his work as an educator as “a calling,” shared how his own faith helped shape his values and work ethic in the classroom and beyond. The researchers stressed that finding groups that share those values and strive to make an impact, whether secular or not, can make real change happen for students across the educational landscape.

“A calling shows up in many different ways. For some educators, it’s rooted in faith. For others, it comes from deeply-held values, commitments to justice, or profound belief in the potential of young people,” said Scott. “But the through line is the same: a commitment to not give up on our students. And our research is helping us better understand how that sense of purpose shapes teaching, leadership, and persistence in schools across the country.”

While this particular partnership is faith-based it reflects a larger truth, he says: schools thrive when they are connected to communities of many kinds that are invested in the well-being of young people.

A second study authored by Scott and two researchers from Grove Collective Foundation, Nicole Baker Fulgham and J.B. Schramm, was also published last month. “Partnerships Between Faith Communities & Public Schools: A Vibrant Ecosystem Poised for Deeper Impact” highlights more than 1,500 faith-based organizations partnering with public schools across nine southern states to study how those relationships contribute to students in those systems.

Rather than use religion to indoctrinate, Scott’s research argues, faith-based groups represent ways public schools can tap into a deeper connection to the communities and people educators are attempting to serve.

“I want to say clearly: faith and religion are already playing a meaningful role in our schools,” says Scott. “What we’re hoping to show is how that’s happening. And they are doing this while respecting the separation of church and state. Not by imposing beliefs, but by contributing to community purpose and supporting freedom.”

You can watch the full Burton & Inglis Lecture, "Can Faith Communities Close Opportunity Gaps in Public Schools?," in the video below.