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Student outcomes evaluation

Our statewide evaluation of outdoor school — Outdoor School for All! Student Outcomes in Oregon — evaluates the programming outcomes and supports program improvement.

Deborah Good is the Outdoor School program's Research, Evaluation and Assessment Coordinator. Feel free to contact Deborah should you have any questions or suggestions regarding research and evaluation.

Report highlights

Outdoor school promotes student:

  • Health and wellness
  • ODE Essential Skills (e.g., critical thinking, teamwork)
  • 21st Century skills (e.g., problem solving, collaboration)
  • Motivation and interest in learning
  • Learning about science and the environment
  • Social-emotional learning (e.g, empathy, responsibility, belonging)

Because of outdoor school, students:

  • Pay more attention
  • Try harder in school
  • Have better attendance after outdoor school

Participate in the Outdoor School Biennial Student Outcomes Evaluation

Are you interested in learning more about the outcomes of your outdoor school program? Are you interested in supporting statewide efforts for greater equity in outdoor school? We invite you to participate in the evaluation of outdoor school outcomes by filling out this interest form.

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Evaluation reports

Read recent and past findings and also see how you can participate in the future.

2023 evaluation report for outdoor school for all

Outcome evaluation results are among the rich data sources that can help outdoor schools make evidence-based decisions for program improvement. Outdoor schools, like all educational institutions, must continually engage in program improvement to meet the aspiration of Outdoor School for All!

Outdoor School

2019 evaluation report for outdoor school for all

The intent of this project is to build understanding and knowledge about the outcomes of outdoor school programming and support program improvement. We built a common measurement system based on legislative requirements, a wide variety of data sources, existing literature/knowledge base, a pilot study and substantial input from stakeholders to provide this evaluation report.

Outdoor School

Findings show most outcomes are significantly higher in outdoor school when compared to a week in the classroom.

Outdoor school vs. a typical week in the classroom outcomes comparison chart data

Average degree of influence on the student outcome

Bar graph scale from 0 (no influence), 5 (some influence), 10 (a lot of influence).

  • Enjoyment: 7.5 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 6.2 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • Connection/place attachment: 7.4 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 6.1 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • Belonging: 7.0 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 6.2 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • Environmental attitudes: 6.9 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 5.2 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • Overall learning: 6.8 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 6.3 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • Environmental learning: 6.6 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 5.2 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • Actions: cooperation/collaboration: 6.4 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 5.3 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • Actions: environmental stewardship: 6.4 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 5.3 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • Positive school behaviors: 6.1 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 6.2 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • Meaning/self-identity: 5.9 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 5.1 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • Interest in learning (motivation): 5.5 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 4.5 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • 21st century skills: 5.3 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 4.6 influence for typical week in the classroom
  • Self-efficacy: 5.2 influence for students who attended outdoor school vs. 5.0 influence for typical week in the classroom

Note: Average values for each outcome shown for 5th and 6th grade students who attended outdoor school (n<1755) and students in the classrooms, the control group (n<103). Outcomes derived from composite values for 1–5 items each. Outcomes were statistically significant differences except for: self-efficacy, meaning/self-identity, positive school behaviors, and overall learning. See the methods section in the full report for the exact items corresponding to each outcome and additional information for the control group.

Students who attend outdoor school are more likely to do something different in their life.

Outdoor school influence to do something different in their lives 2019-2023 data

"As a result of this experience, do you intend to do anything different in your life?"

2019 before the pandemic

  • Yes: 57% students attending outdoor school vs. 23% typical week at school
  • No: 42% students attending outdoor school vs. 76% typical week at school
  • Maybe: 1% for both outdoor school and typical week at school

2022 after the start of the pandemic

  • Yes: 44% students attending outdoor school vs. data unavailable typical week at school in 2021-22
  • No: 55% students attending outdoor school vs. data unavailable typical week at school in 2021-22
  • Maybe: 1% for students attending outdoor school

2023

  • Yes: 47% students attending outdoor school vs. 32% typical week at school
  • No: 52% students attending outdoor school vs. 66% typical week at school
  • Maybe: 1% for typical week at school

Note: Percentage of 5th and 6th grade students responding yes, no, and maybe to the question "As a result of this experience, do you intend to do anything different in your life?". The typical week of school are responses from students that did not attend outdoor school, the control group. Totals may not necessarily equal 100%.

Student belonging: Not all students experience outdoor school the same

Trans and non-binary students, Black, Indigenous and students of color often report belonging less than their peers. Belonging is how much students feel welcomed, respected, supported and valued to fully participate.

We must do more to meet our vision that outdoor school create equitable and positive outcomes for every Oregonian through empowering learning experiences. We integrate recommendations from these evaluations into professional development and program improvements.

We have developed a suite of three self-evaluation tools that can help in this and other planning:

  • Cultural Responsiveness Self-Evaluation Tool (CRSET)
  • Instructional Resource Self-Evaluation Tool (IRSET)
  • Special Education and Accessibility Self-Evaluation Tool (SEASET)
Access the tools
Photo: Carla Penna (Cropped from original)

Browse more resources

See our evaluation data and resources we have collected for educators and programs from our reports, sessions and other organizations.

Explore report data and evaluation resources

Read and share your stories

The Outdoor Stories Project

Friends of Outdoor School share the important ways that outdoor school and other outdoor education experiences positively affect individuals and their communities. Read this collection of stories — personal and powerful memories from people of all backgrounds and ages.

Outdoor School

Other lessons we have learned

Explore all our research and evaluation efforts at OSU Extension Outdoor School.

Learn more

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