STANFORD-BACKED EDUCATION RESEARCH

the research behind

challenge success

Our work started as a research project at the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2003 and continues to provide research insights to the field of K-12 education.

Our expert research team analyzes data collected from the Challenge Success-Stanford Surveys of School Experiences to better understand well-being, engagement, and belonging in K-12 schools. We also review findings from other experts in the fields of education, psychology, and medicine to identify approaches and patterns with the aim of creating heathy learning environments where all students can thrive. As an affiliate of Stanford’s Graduate School of Education, our research adheres to the highest ethical standards and is overseen by the university’s Institutional Review Board.

We know how important it is for schools and families to have evidence-based guidance they can rely on. Our goal is to provide the most up-to-date insights for schools, families, and students in easy-to-access formats such as reports, briefs, and articles.

Open-source insights you can trust

Our SPACE Framework for School Change provides a starting point for any educator who is ready to improve well-being, engagement, and belonging.

Research-based parenting guidance

Our Parent Hub includes support for families on topics such as time management, student stress, and college admissions, as well as tips for incorporating Playtime, Downtime, and Family Time (PDF) into daily routines.

Research Library

Our suite of surveys provide a wealth of data for our team to analyze. Combined with our qualitative research, we share our findings in self-published reports.

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2024

Student Voice Report

We were honored to be asked to contribute this report as part of Dr. Vivek Murthy’s Call to Action on Youth Mental Health.

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2024

ICGS Research Report:
Raising Her Voice

A collaboration with the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools – ICGS to explore the state of student well-being, engagement, and belonging in girls’ schools around the world.

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2021

NBC Report:
Kids Under Pressure

A collaboration with NBC to understand the affects of the pandemic on the student experience.

Our briefs aim to make educational research accessible – no Ph.D. required! Each brief summarizes literature on a topic and offers practical ways to apply the findings.

2025

COMING SOON! Rethinking Stress in Schools: How Adaptive Coping Builds Resilience

We frequently share our research in a variety of publications. A select list of our popular pieces are below; for a full listing of Denise Pope or Sarah Miles’ publications, visit their Google Scholar pages.

“Doing School” (2001) is a key component of our origin story as an organization. Overloaded and Underprepared (2015) is a deep dive into the SPACE Framework designed for educators who want to make changes to improve student well-being, engagement, and belonging in their school communities.

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2015

Overloaded and Underprepared: Strategies for Stronger Schools and Healthy, Successful Kids

By Denise Pope, Sarah Miles, and Maureen Brown

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2001

“Doing School”: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students

By Denise Pope

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