Bloomsights

Student support often begins with a familiar and important question: Who needs help? For decades, schools have used check-ins, assessments, and data points to identify individual students who may be struggling academically, socially, or emotionally. This work is essential and is at the heart of MTSS and other student support frameworks used nationwide.

But just as important is understanding the environment those students are part of. Classrooms and schools are more than the sum of their individuals. They are social ecosystems where belonging, connection, and well-being are shaped not just by personal experiences but by peer dynamics and group culture.

At Bloomsights, we believe that fully supporting individual students requires an understanding of the groups to which they belong, including their class, grade level, and social networks. When educators can see both the forest and the trees, they’re better equipped to support every learner.

Why Group Dynamics Matter

Research in education and behavioral health shows that peer relationships, classroom climate, and a sense of belonging all play a significant role in how students feel and function at school. A student’s emotional well-being is often influenced not only by their own experiences but also by their surroundings, friendships, group norms, and perceived role within the school community.

For example, a student who feels withdrawn might be part of a group where few connections exist. A student who’s acting out may not be an outlier, but part of a broader peer cluster that’s also struggling. Observing these dynamics at the group level provides educators with valuable context, enabling them to respond more effectively and with greater care.

From Context to Clarity

When group-level patterns are made visible, the path to meaningful support becomes clearer. Educators can identify trends across classrooms or grade levels, such as peer disconnection, low sense of safety, or clusters of students with similar challenges, and use that insight to inform when, where, and how to intervene.

This type of information does not replace individual data; it complements it. When educators understand how students are connected (or not connected), who feels supported (or isolated), and what social dynamics shape the classroom environment, they can better tailor interventions, whether they are universal supports or targeted ones.

How Bloomsights Supports Both

Bloomsights was designed to support understanding at both individual and group levels, viewed not as separate functions but as interconnected parts of a whole.

At the individual level, educators can view student-specific indicators that reflect each student’s feelings about school, relationships, engagement, and well-being. These indicators provide a detailed view into the student experience, enabling staff to identify when a student may require additional support.

At the group level, Bloomsights calculates class-wide indicators to reflect broader patterns such as how connected a class feels, the safety of the learning environment, and how students experience relationships with peers and teachers. These insights enable educators to understand the social and emotional climate of a classroom and identify strengths or areas that may require attention.

Behind the scenes, Bloomsights employs a differentiated approach to calculate group versus individual indicators. While class indicators summarize trends across the entire group, student indicators are more detailed and reflect each student’s unique position and perspective within that group. This enables educators to understand both the collective and individual experiences, allowing for better decision-making with greater clarity.

We also provide sociograms, which are dynamic visualizations that display peer-to-peer relationships within a class. Educators can view these at both the class level (to understand overall social structure) and at the individual level (to see how a single student is situated socially among peers). These tools are particularly helpful for supporting social integration, building effective groupings, and identifying students who may be isolated or at risk of being overlooked.

Looking Ahead

Supporting student well-being isn’t just about choosing between individual or group-level data; it’s about connecting the dots. Classrooms are inherently social, and by understanding group social patterns alongside personal ones, we unlock new opportunities to help students thrive.

By bringing these two perspectives together, schools can deepen their support, respond with greater clarity, and build communities where every student feels safe, supported, and valued.