The Developmental Assets Profile (DAP) is a widely used survey that assesses the strengths, supports and noncognitive factors essential for young people’s success in school and life.
The DAP is based on Search Institute’s framework of Developmental Assets and grows out of 20 years of research with millions of young people. The Search Institute is a nonprofit organization that studies and aims to strengthen youth success in schools, coalitions, youth and family organizations, and the faith community.
In order to provide the best programs to its school-aged students, Horizon Education Centers uses data from its DAP surveys to create program curriculum and assess our students’ internal strengths and external supports.
The DAP helps Horizon answer these questions about the school-age students we serve:
- Are they developing strong guiding values that will help them make healthy life choices, including responsibility, empathy and self-control?
- Do they have the skills to interact effectively with others, to make difficult decisions and to cope with new situations?
- Do they believe in their own self-worth and feel that they have control over the things that happen to them?
- Do they feel surrounded by people who love, care for, appreciate and accept them? Do they feel valued, valuable and safe?
- Do they feel that they have been provided with clear rules, consistent consequences for breaking rules and encouragement to always do their best?
- Do they have opportunities outside of school to learn and develop new skills and interests with other youth and adults?
- Do they understand the lasting importance of learning and believe in their own abilities?
Here’s a glimpse at some of the statistics from Horizon’s DAP results:
- At GALA, 66% of students increased their DAP scores from fall to spring in 2018 to 2019
- At Market Square, 67% of students increased their DAP scores from fall to spring in 2018 to 2019
- At South Elyria, 64% of students increased their DAP scores from fall to spring in 2018 to 2019
Take a look at Horizon’s DAP results here.
