The Numbers Don’t Lie: What 1,000 Iowa Students Revealed About Student Engagement
Over the past 18 months, we partnered with Gallup to examine what’s at the heart of our mission: student engagement. Their findings from nearly 1,000 Iowa students in grades 5-12 reveal a troubling reality—and validate everything we believe about the importance of student agency and student-driven learning.
The Engagement Crisis in Three Numbers
34% of students always feel bored in class
10% strongly agree they enjoy their classes
11% of high school students feel very prepared for life after graduation
These aren’t just statistics. They represent thousands of young people sitting in classrooms, watching clocks, wondering when their education will connect to their lives.
The Hidden Truth
The most striking finding: only 28% of students feel they have choices about what they learn. In an era where we customize everything—from coffee orders to social media feeds—we’re asking students to passively consume a one-size-fits-all education. While this approach might have worked for some people in the past. It’s not working now, and it won’t work in the future.
Meanwhile, students report putting more effort into activities outside school (55%) than class activities (45%). This isn’t laziness—it’s young people hungry to learn, but only when learning feels relevant and connected to their futures.
The gender gaps are particularly telling:
- Male students are 40% more likely to report classroom boredom
- 85% of female high school students express college interest vs. only 58% of males
The message is clear: we’re not just failing to engage students—we’re actively disengaging them from their own education.
The Path Forward
Real engagement isn’t about making learning “fun.” It comes from agency, relevance, and authentic challenge. Students flourish when they have genuine choices, see clear connections between education and their future, and experience learning as active creation rather than passive consumption.
This philosophy drives everything we do at Opportunity Education. As we build products and schools, our mission remains clear: enable students to own their learning and drive their futures.
The crisis is real. The solution is within our reach. Behind every percentage point is a young person with dreams and untapped potential—and our job is to unlock it.
Ready to dive deeper? Join us for Part 2, where we’ll explore why student agency isn’t just an educational buzzword—it’s the key to everything. You can also download Gallup’s comprehensive report highlighting insights from our study.