"If the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a roadway leading students to career and college readiness, service‐learning is a vehicle for helping them get there in style. Service‐learning is a research‐based teaching and learning strategy that engages youth in service to meet learning objec􏰀ves and address real‐world issues."

"Service-learning can improve academic outcomes for students. Students participating in high-quality service-learning experiences that are meaningful (including interaction with the community, valued service activities, and relevance to students), provide time for reflection, and last for an extended period of time have been shown to make academic gains, including gains on standardized tests. In addition, students have shown increased attachment to school, engagement, and motivation. With a sample that included students with mild disabilities, Brill found similar results for academic improvement and attendance."

This lengthy report addresses the prevalence of service-learning opportunities in American schools, potential barriers, and resources to overcome those barriers. Key findings include:

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"Teachers and administrators of schools with a high proportion of students from low-income families are more likely to see the academic and civic benefits of service-learning. At a time when we see the civic and academic gap between youth from disadvantaged circumstances and those who are not growing, this is a positive sign that service-learning can help address this gap."

"Existing research has demonstrated that the quality elements of service-learning, such as active student participation in planning and implementing service activities, clear connections between the course learning objectives and the service projects, and structured reflection on the students’ service experience, lead to greater impacts on students’ academic and civic attitudes and behaviors than community service alone."

"If service-learning is to be viewed as a method of drawing young people into a life-long cycle of engagement, it is also necessary to show that age is not a barrier to active citizenship and that elementary school students also benefit from service-learning."