The High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE) is a survey designed to investigate student engagement: the attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs of high school students about their work. The survey was the central component of a research and professional development project directed by the Center for Evaluation & Education Policy (CEEP) at Indiana University. The primary purpose of the project is to help high schools explore, understand, and strengthen student engagement.
Since 2003, HSSSE has been used to measure the engagement of secondary students, with more than 400,000 students in over 40 states completing the survey between 2006 and 2013.
As of 2013, CEEP no longer administers HSSSE as a fee-for-service. The use of HSSSE survey items by schools, districts, and researchers is now permitted without charge. The Center for Evaluation and Education Policy (CEEP) and HSSSE must be cited/referenced in documentation and publications.
Past reports include the following:
Reception
In a blog post titled "Water Runs Downhill, and School is Boring" economist Bryan Caplan quoted passages from the HSSSE to note that many students found school boring. He argued that the results probably understated students' boredom with high school because social desirability bias may lead fewer students to openly admit to finding high school boring.