In January and February of 2005, Public Sector Consultants, conducted a mail survey of school principals in a sampling of Michigan public schools. The survey was conducted on behalf of the MCSC because we thought you would be interested in knowing the prevalence of service-learning in Michigan schools.The survey also examines the use of community service activities in the schools (activities that are not curriculum-based) compared to service learning, which is structured within an academic course or curriculum with clearly defined learning objectives.

Major findings include…

• Community service is a requirement for graduation in more schools than is service learning. Four percent of schools have a service learning requirement for graduation. In contrast, 10 percent of schools require community service. Three percent of schools require both.

• Slightly more teachers and students are engaging in service learning now than in 2002. Twenty-eight percent of teachers (compared to 24 percent in 2002) integrate service learning into their instruction.  More students are also being engaged in service learning-29 percent in 2005 compared to 26 percent in 2002. Thus, fewer schools are offering service learning than in 2002 but those that offer this activity are more engaged.

• Service learning is still largely an activity of individual teachers, but small increases in the percentage of schools with grade-wide and discipline-wide service learning have occurred since 2002. Sixty two percent of schools report that service learning is carried out through the efforts of individual teachers in particular courses, rather than as a school- or district-wide initiative. In 2002, 61 percent of schools reported that service learning occurred in individual courses. Fifty-nine percent of schools report grade-wide service learning (up from 51 percent in 2002) and 39 percent report discipline-wide service learning (up slightly from 37 percent in 2002). School-wide service learning has remained constant at 34 percent.

Click on the link below to read more about this survey or to download it in PDF format.