How Schools Can Help Kids Heal After A Year Of 'Crisis And Uncertainty'

In-school therapy is an increasingly popular mental health support in Idaho schools. Through a partnership with local agencies, therapists are available at schools and are able to set appointments with students, without students or parents having to take time out of school or work to attend. "West Middle School documented a 53% drop in behavioral incidents and a 37% drop in absences among the students who participated in therapy during the first year of the partnership, in 2017-2018."

The Lawpwai School District in Idaho has taken a different approach to behavioral health. This new approach includes focusing on teaching positive behavior expectations, partnering with agencies to make on-site therapy available, educating staff on trauma and finding ways to inject Nez Perce culture into the whole process.

The Connect program in Cassia, Idaho is making it easier for students experiencing mental health crises to get help. Students are able to call a phone number, which also has Spanish interpreters, where they can receive immediate crisis counseling, and set up an appointment with a local mental health professional all through the program. The Cassia County School District also pays for the first couple counseling sessions, while continuing to work with families in need of more long-term care. "Since its inception at least 538 students in the 5,400-student district have accessed Connect therapists."

Across Alabama, districts are using summer school breaks as a chance to bridge learning gaps for elementary school students who struggled to adjust to remote schooling or didn’t get as much face time with teachers during the pandemic. In Madison, English-language learning students were able to participate in a summer program to practice their language skills while incorporating field trips and fun activities, like cooking.

A teacher in San Diego took matters into her own hands when she couldn't find a social justice curriculum tailored to students with disabilities. That’s partly why she created what she calls the “Social Justice League,” a group of students at her school who meet weekly by Zoom and discuss a variety of issues, such as Native American land, gender privilege, the representation of disabilities in the media and systemic racism.

U-46, Chicago's second-largest school district faced a legal suit in 2005 for discrimination of Hispanic students in its gifted programs and is now setting an example for how programs can be upended for good. By 2018 U-46's gifted program consisted of 48% Hispanic students, a better representation of a 57% Hispanic district. The changes implemented by the district included addressing systemic issues by not relying on teacher recommendations and instead testing all third and sixth graders, expanding the number of seats for gifted students. The district also has teachers undergo antiracism training and more.

Teachers in South Burlington High School in Vermont are taking a different approach to dealing with digital distractions in the classrooms. Through short 30-minute lessons getting at the root of cellphone addiction and the effects of apps on the brain, students and teachers approach the topic from a place of understanding as opposed to judgment or punishment.

Colleges campuses are increasingly consulting students about the mental health services they want to see and expanding initiatives beyond the counseling center to all aspects of campus life. At Jefferson Community College in New York this means food pantries and nonprofit transportation services.

Many mental illnesses appear during an individual's college years, yet few colleges have effective mental health programs. The Jed Foundation created a framework for universities to follow to address student's need such as peer outreach programs.

Bangladesh schools had very low attendance because children were kept home to work and conditions were unsafe for girls, ethnic minorities, and those with disabilities. BRAC, one of the world's largest and most comprehensive NGOs, has built new schools addressing all the reasons, at home and school, that were preventing children from attending.