National Experts Team Up to Help Students Feel They Belong

When students feel disconnected from school, they stop showing up. Now a groundbreaking partnership is giving educators powerful tools to rebuild those critical bonds.

Harmony Academy at National University announced it's connecting school districts nationwide with six nationally recognized education experts who specialize in turning belonging into achievement. The program, called Harmony Belonging Together, gives schools direct, personalized consultation to address their most urgent challenges around student engagement and academic performance.

The timing couldn't be more crucial. Districts across the country are wrestling with record levels of chronic absenteeism and student disconnection. Research increasingly shows these struggles stem from a single root cause: students who don't feel they belong.

The partnership brings together leaders who've transformed some of America's largest school systems. Dr. Ruby Ababio-Fernandez helped shape equity and leadership at New York City's Department of Education. Richard Carranza led school systems in New York, Houston, and San Francisco. Dr. Douglas Fisher's research proves that belonging directly improves literacy, math scores, attendance, and even teacher retention.

Dr. Terrell Strayhorn, one of the country's most cited scholars on belonging, will help translate his research into practical classroom strategies. Carol Jago, former president of the National Council of Teachers of English, brings decades of expertise helping students connect through reading and storytelling. Brandon Cardet-Hernandez has pioneered innovative approaches to school culture that transformed climate for multilingual learners.

Districts can choose their biggest challenge area and receive a series of one-on-one sessions with these experts. The focus stays laser sharp on solutions educators can implement immediately, not theoretical frameworks that gather dust.

The Ripple Effect

Schools already using Harmony's relationship-building routines are seeing promising results. Classroom climate improves. Students participate more actively. Teachers report feeling more connected to their students and each other.

The program already reaches 40 million students and nearly 4 million educators across 70,000 schools in all 50 states and 104 countries. Major districts like New York City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified, and Clark County in Las Vegas are using these tools to help students reconnect.

"Our mission is simple: every child deserves a learning environment where strong, healthy relationships fuel academic growth," said Dr. Nick Yoder, who leads the Harmony Academy. "At a time when teachers are seeing record levels of disconnection, practical belonging strategies are no longer extras. They're essential for learning."

The approach recognizes what research proves: students learn better when they feel safe, valued, and connected to the people around them.

One partnership is helping turn empty desks into engaged learners, one relationship at a time.