Using Student Voices to Inform Educational Reform: Exploring High School Educational Desires to Improve Curricular Decisions

In the education system, the integration of student perspectives into effective pedagogical strategies is gaining momentum. This dissertation delves into the concept of 'Student Voice' and its role in shaping educational frameworks. Recognizing the growing gap in soft skill proficiency among newly recruited employees, contrasted with the emphasis on hard skills within current educational standards, this study analyzes what those skill gaps are in the education and what skills students perceive are necessary to integrate into a high school education to better prepare students for life, the workforce, and higher education. Focused on recent high school graduates in Nevada, the research explores their educational experiences with a specific emphasis on soft skill cultivation. By amplifying student voices, the study aims to understand how students perceive their high school education in terms of soft skill development. Through mixed methods, the research seeks to identify the skills students consider essential for personal and professional growth, aligning these aspirations with broader educational objectives.