Sense of belonging in education refers to students' subjective feeling of being accepted, valued, included, and welcomed as a member of their school community. It encompasses feeling connected to peers and adults, perceiving that others care about their wellbeing, and experiencing school as a place where they fit and matter rather than feeling like an outsider.

Belonging is fundamentally about relationships and acceptance. Students with strong sense of belonging have friends at school, feel teachers know and care about them personally, believe they can be authentic without judgment, and feel their presence contributes to the school community. Those lacking belonging feel isolated, invisible, or actively excluded—experiencing school as a place they must endure rather than a community they're part of.

Research consistently identifies sense of belonging as one of the most powerful predictors of positive student outcomes. Students with high belonging show greater academic motivation and achievement, better attendance, increased class participation, higher self-esteem, improved mental health, and greater willingness to seek help when struggling. Conversely, lack of belonging predicts disengagement, behavioral problems, declining achievement, and ultimately dropout or disenrollment.

For charter and private schools, belonging directly impacts retention. Students who feel they don't belong are at high risk of leaving, while strong belonging creates "sticky" enrollment—families stay because students feel connected and valued. Measuring belonging through pulse surveys enables schools to identify students feeling isolated and intervene before disconnection becomes departure.