In Mass. schools, a focus on well-being

When students misbehave in school, teachers struggle to decide the right kind of intervention, with school suspension a common outcome. However, research has shown that school suspensions can increase the likelihood of dropouts and incarcerations so that there is pressure to decrease the rate of suspensions. Restorative justice has become a favorable alternative because misbehaving students can participate in a number of supportive activities such as peer meditation or collaborative negotiation to build community, trust, and confidence.

Magnet schools in Alabama were created by the Board of Education as a way to combat white flight in the 1970's. Today, especially in Montgomery, magnet schools boast the smallest achievement gap between white and black students. Their success is attributed to a number of things, including a standardized admissions lottery that ensures diversity and a high degree of interest and participation from parents.

The Rainier Scholars program in Seattle places fifth graders, who are all minorities, in special coursework through middle and high school, finally offering rigorous college coaching. In Oakland, CA, the National College Advising Corps directs recent graduates into schools to be role models and guides for at-risk students.

Studies show the educational divide between affluent and poor people starts early on, before the age of 3, when children learn cognitive and emotional skills that are difficult to almost impossible to learn later as adults. In Central Harlem, parents were not applying methods that stimulate a child’s early development. So, Geoffrey Canada created Harlem’s Children Zone, an 8-week program where parents learn how to help their children. He also expanded his program to include charter schools. The first group of third graders had reading scores above the state average.

Norway’s approach to early childcare, rooted in its Kindergarten Act, prioritizes inclusivity and the value of childhood and unstructured play, where children receive social, emotional and cognitive support. Evidence suggests long-term positive impacts, including improved academic and workforce outcomes when they reach adulthood. Investments in the country’s unique approach to childcare and kindergarten contribute to Norway's top global rankings in child well-being compared to other countries like the U.S.

Parents are enrolling children in outdoor preschool programs where most of the schooling happens outdoors as an alternative to traditional preschools.

In Baltimore, a non-profit known as the Next One Up program is helping young men who are struggling in school by supporting and advancing their academic, athletic, and social development through small group activities. Although small, the highly-individualized program – which "focuses on students who have attendance issues, have experienced trauma, or need food, clothing, or parental support" – meets every Sunday for class and homework help, followed by a sport of their choice. All who have participated so far have graduated high school on time.

Some colleges think students are overwhelmed by the number of options they have to choose from—countless classes and extracurriculars are available on many campuses. Schools across the United States are experimenting with new approaches, ranging from choosing courseloads for freshmen to assigning counselors to meet regularly with students.

Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee created a special show for displaced Syrian children conducted entirely in Arabic. The show teaches children lessons like counting and the alphabet, but it also teaches them emotional coping skills, which is very important for refugee children. The show is accompanied by trained early childhood development facilitators who visit homes and interact with the children playing games or reading books.

A school in Wisconsin requires that students sit in assigned seats, alongside teachers, during lunch. School administrators hope this will reduce student anxiety, help students develop social skills, and improve school culture.