Building Evidence in Scouting Together
Read the latest findings from the study regarding High Adventure and Scoutmaster Training!
Welcome to the Building Evidence in Scouting Together (BEST) Study website!
Because of the generous grants from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the Building Evidence in Scouting Together Study is a national research study about Scouting. The goal is to understand how troop leader practices foster the development of Scouts in order to improve the Scouting program for youth and adults.
The Boy Scouts of America awarded researchers at Montclair State University (MSU) in New Jersey and the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to conduct this study.
Only select troops are being invited to participate—Scoutmasters receive an email invitation from our study team if their troop is selected.
Study participation involves 3 steps:
Step 1
Scoutmaster registration
Step 2
Troop member registration
Step 3
Scouts and Scouterstake online surveys
As a thank you for completing surveys, Scouts and Scouters earn the three-part
BEST Study Patch.
For Troop Members of Selected Troops
If your troop was contacted this summer to register for the study, click here.
If your troop registered for the study this spring and you need to change your troop registration, please contact us at yourvoice@bsabeststudy.org or 1-888-309-1556 (option 1).
Assistant Scoutmasters and Scoutmasters of selected troops: If you previously registered and wish to opt-out of the study as an individual, click here. If you have not registered yet, you can opt-out of the study by not signing up. Please note that if a Scoutmaster opts-out, the entire troop is considered withdrawn from the study.
2019 World Scout Jamboree:
Dr. Urban shared the BSA Best Study Troop Welcome Packet
