He kai kei aku ringa: Practical advice for developing a system-wide approach to transforming outcomes for ākonga

Although the existing literature has always established strong ties between student motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes, few studies have focused on the motivation and engagement of Māori and Pasifika students. Also, large-scale quantitative and qualitative studies that focus solely on the views of Māori and Pasifika learners (i.e., not compared to their Pākehā/NZ European counterparts) are limited. In response, the COMPASS project (comprising seven studies) has examined the ways Māori and Pasifika ākonga and whānau successfully navigate their way through the schooling system, maintaining positive motivation, academic engagement, cultural connectedness, and high aspirations. We also set out to highlight the practices, pedagogies, and beliefs of school leaders, teachers, and whānau committed to Māori and Pasifika student success. In this article, we bring together the findings from across all seven COMPASS studies to provide practical recommendations for schools, their communities, and others who ar