Religious participation linked to higher levels of student success: report

March 25, 2026

A report published by the BYU Wheatley Institute and the Leadership Initiative for Faith and Education at Harvard shows has found that faith is associated with higher levels of student achievement.

According to the Christian Post, the study authored by Bryant Jensen, Irvin L. Scott, analyzed existing research “on the role of religious faith in human flourishing” and found that the religious practices of students, their families and teachers can help close learning opportunity gaps.

Jensen is a professor of teacher education at Brigham Young University and Wheatley Institute affiliate scholar, while Scott is a senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and founding director of the Leadership Initiative for Faith and Education.

A study cited in the report found that middle- and high-school students who demonstrated the highest levels of religious participation had GPAs that were 0.144 points higher than those of their peers who did not participate in religious activity.

The study also found students from working-class families reportedly benefited more from religious participation than their higher-income peers, while students from the poorest homes demonstrated “weaker and less consistent benefits.”

Jensen told the Christian Post, “After nearly two centuries, the promise of U.S. public schools to foster effective and meaningful learning opportunities for all children across race and social class remains unfulfilled.”

He added, “Large gaps in learning opportunities continue to persist by student race and ethnicity, while opportunity gaps by gender and family income are widening. We believe religious faith can help bridge these gaps.”

The report also stated that “well-coordinated partnerships between schools and faith organizations can positively impact parental involvement and student reading outcomes.”

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