A new study shows that student engagement is very important for learning. But many teachers and school leaders are still not sure how to measure it or how to keep students engaged. The study, called Education Insights 2025–2026: Fueling Learning Through Engagement, asked 1,398 superintendents, teachers, parents, and students from across the United States about their views. The survey was done in May 2025 by Hanover Research for Discovery Education, a company that makes learning tools for schools.
Why Engagement Matters
Discovery Education wanted to understand how engagement is seen and supported in classrooms. Brian Shaw, the CEO of Discovery Education, said that engagement is important but not always well defined or measured in schools. He believes schools need a standard way to measure engagement and link it with student success. Discovery Education plans to work on this issue in the future.
Key Findings of the Study
The study shared many interesting facts. Here are the main points:
| Key Finding | Details |
| Engagement is important | 93% of educators say it helps measure success. 99% of superintendents think it predicts success. 92% of students say it makes school more fun. |
| Indicators are unclear | 72% of teachers think asking good questions shows engagement. 54% of superintendents think doing well in tests is a sign of engagement. |
| Measuring systems differ | 99% of superintendents and 88% of principals say their schools measure engagement. Only 60% of teachers agree. |
| Views on engagement differ | 63% of students think students are engaged. Only 45% of teachers and 51% of principals agree. |
| Students rate themselves higher | Most students think they are engaged, but they rate their classmates lower. |
| AI in learning | Two-thirds of students think AI can help them learn faster. Less than half of teachers use AI often. |
What Teachers and Students Think
Many students believe they are engaged in school. But teachers and principals often think engagement is lower than students report. For example, 70% of elementary students said they are engaged, but only 42% think their classmates are. The same pattern is seen in middle and high schools.
Challenges in Measuring Engagement
There is no single way to measure engagement. Many teachers feel their schools do not have a clear system to measure it. About one-third of teachers say the lack of a shared definition makes it hard to track engagement properly.
Role of AI in Learning
Students are more open to using AI for learning than teachers. Two-thirds of students think AI can help them learn faster. But only 53% of teachers are excited about using AI in teaching. More principals and superintendents are positive about AI compared to teachers.
