Community Service

School Administrator, June, 1996

A new report by the U.S. Department of Education sheds light on the extent and nature of unpaid community service by students.

The survey of high school seniors, part of the National Education Longitudinal Study, found:

* 44 percent of seniors reported performing community service within the past two years;

* the most likely service performers were females, whites, Asians, seniors from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, seniors with higher reading proficiencies, seniors in private schools, and seniors in urban areas; and

* about half the seniors performing service were involved with church-related organizations.

The survey did not ask about frequency of service or how many different types of service were performed.

A summary of the study (NCES 95-743) is available by calling the U.S. Department of Education at 800424-1616.