Key points:

• Students are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis
• Technology can be a powerful ally in positive mental health

Researchers have long speculated that the increasing use of technology and social media among teenagers contributes to worsening mental health outcomes. Now, it can be an important tool to help schools address an unprecedented mental health crisis.

In addition to traditional triggers for poor mental health, like exposure to adversity, in-process coping mechanisms, substance use, and other factors, students are grappling with novel challenges. This includes the long-tail effects of a global pandemic, and frighteningly frequent instances of violence at school and in communities, creating a perfect storm for a mental health crisis.

Unsurprisingly, the kids are not all right.

According to a recent survey that gathered input from more than 350 school social workers, teachers, counselors, administrators, and district leaders, 85 percent of respondents agree or strongly agree that students are more stressed and anxious than in previous school years.

“The impact this is having is heartbreaking. Students are struggling in ways I have not seen in the 20+ years I have been a school social worker,” one school social worker said when responding to the survey. “The anxiety and stress impacts academics, attendance, social skills, social interactions with adults and peers, and their friendships.”

Students’ access to opportunities in life largely depends on their access to diverse, supportive relationships. Now, updated Christensen Institute research illustrates the impact students’ connections and relationships have on their ability to achieve success in adulthood–and underscores the need for schools to track this data as they measure students’ progress.

The updated report augments ongoing research and provides education leaders with the tools, knowledge, and sample survey items to make important strides toward measuring students’ networks in more equitable, meaningful, and actionable ways.

Emerging research from other organizations has strengthened the need to understand just how important relationships and resources are to students, particularly as opportunity gaps grow even wider.

In 2021, nonprofit think tank Brookings Institution published “How We Rise,” which analyzes findings from a survey developed by research partner Econometrica to assess how individuals’ education, job, and housing networks impacted their chances of economic mobility.

A similar research collaboration between Strada, a national social impact organization, and the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) evaluated undergraduate students’ engagement in career preparation activities, including surveying students about their participation in various social capital-building opportunities and their confidence tapping into alumni and professional networks.

The data is clear: Our students are in the midst of a mental health crisis. A survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that one in three high school students experienced poor mental health during the pandemic, and nearly half of all students felt persistently hopeless.

We’re now seeing the ripple effects of three years of education disruptions and seismic shifts in learning structures, which underscore the vital importance of caring for the whole student. Our students’ difficulties mirror the increasing anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation that teens nationwide are experiencing. Over the past two years, Tempe Union High School District has centered its focus on prioritizing student mental health. Here’s how we did it–and what we’ve learned.

Leveraging the power of student voices

When we returned to in-person learning, we saw that our students needed even more support than we imagined. We didn’t hesitate when it came to getting them the resources they needed, because timing is critical for mental health challenges.

We asked our student representatives what social-emotional support they and their fellow students needed. That conversation evolved into a districtwide comprehensive mental health policy adopted by Tempe Union’s governing board in 2021. Cementing a resolution around social-emotional wellness into our policies signaled to our students and community that holistic health is a major priority for Tempe Union.

Children in America are in crisis–struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues at unprecedented levels. As a child and adolescent psychiatrist for the Behavioral Health Center at Children’s Hospital New Orleans, I have had a first-hand look at the increasing numbers of youth struggling with mental health.  

From losses and disruptions caused by the pandemic to increases in gun violence and school shootings to social injustices, children are inundated with messaging across many platforms that negatively impacts their mental health. 

In response to the influx of mental health cases, the American Academy of Pediatrics has declared a national emergency and the U.S. Surgeon General has issued a public health advisory. Over 60 percent of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment. Even in states with the greatest access, nearly 1 in 3 are going without treatment. 

Louisiana ranks 49th in child well-being and 62.5 percent of youth diagnosed with major depression did not receive mental health services.  

To support a child’s mental health, we need to meet them where they are — at school. 

Barriers to mental health care 

Prior to COVID-19, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 1 in 5 children suffered from mental illness. Data from 2021 indicates that number jumped to 37.1 percent. Yet, only about 20 percent of these children received care from a mental health provider. Access to these mental health services is quite limited for various reasons. 

Some families live in communities where they are unable to find mental health care due to the lack of providers in their area. Other families, particularly those in minority and low-income households, encounter financial and transportation barriers, making it more difficult for them to access mental health services. To tap into these services, they must travel far or be placed on long waitlists to receive care. 

Alongside these barriers, stigma associated with mental health remains pervasive – and this is especially apparent in minority communities. According to the American Psychiatric Association, African Americans, Hispanic, and Latinx communities endorse significant depressive and anxiety related symptoms, and their suicide risk is gradually increasing over time. Studies show when students of color are treated in the medical system, they may experience discrimination, judgment, and implicit or explicit bias. As we work with minority communities, it is important for us to look back to where the distrust is coming from, and re-establish trust by remaining curious and collaborative, remove barriers, and ensure they have access to equitable care.

Creating a school culture of mental health awareness 

When putting the pieces together to create the overall picture of a robust, school-based mental health program, another big component is the educational and training piece for school staff. 

As a social worker for an in-district classroom inside of a Texas elementary school, I have the honor of serving some of the most vulnerable students in our community. On March 21, World Social Work Day, it’s important to highlight the essential role social workers play in promoting the well-being of our students and their families.

Every day, I have the privilege of witnessing the incredible resilience of our students, who face challenges that many adults would struggle to overcome. Food insecurity, trauma, and family instability are just some of the obstacles facing our students, and these challenges can have a profound impact on their academic performance, emotional health and future opportunities.

This is where social workers come in. Social workers are a unique component in the education system because we are trained to focus on both the student and their environment. I work alongside special education teachers and other staff to provide the support that our students need to thrive.

Social workers explore external factors that impact a child’s emotional and academic learning and identify strategies to improve their situation. It is our job to help kiddos be successful and feel secure.

Eighty-four percent of teachers are concerned about student mental health, saying that students are developmentally behind in self-regulation and relationship building compared to students prior to the pandemic. Teachers also report that they are increasingly the target of disruptive student behavior and that classroom incidents involving physical violence have more than doubled since the onset of the pandemic.

These are among the findings of a new survey report from education company EAB at the School Superintendent Association (AASA) National Conference on Education (#NCE2023). The report summarizes findings from a survey of more than 1,000 district and school administrators, teachers, and student support staff.

“Students who exhibit disruptive behaviors are often dealing with underlying mental or social health issues,” said EAB Senior Director of K-12 Research Ben Court. “Unfortunately, nearly 60 percent of teachers feel that pressure to boost lagging academic outcomes leaves them with insufficient time to address behavioral issues, and only 45 percent feel they are receiving adequate training to do so.”

EAB released a second report at the conference, “2023 Voice of the Superintendent” that highlights findings from a separate survey of 198 school district superintendents across 37 states.

In this episode of Innovations in Education, hosted by Kevin Hogan:

• 3 strategies to support student well-being and SEL
• Building culture and community takes more than a committee
• Fostering student well-being

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

A notable new lawsuit against social media industry leaders by the Seattle school district has left legal experts divided on how the case will unfold.

The complaint — which alleges that the school district and its students have been harmed by social media’s negative effects on youth mental health — could lead to sweeping changes in the industry, one expert said. Or, as others expect, it could fizzle out with little chance of winning in court.

Seattle Public Schools alleges that the companies — which include Meta, Google, Snapchat, and ByteDance, the company behind TikTok — designed their platforms intentionally to grow their user bases and “exploit the psychology and neurophysiology of their users into spending more and more time on their platforms,” according to a complaint filed earlier this month.

 Kent School District in Washington filed a similar complaint within days.Become a Chalkbeat sponsorhttps://828600fe5aa45bf05a2a149ca5e15adc.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

If the evidence and argument put forward by the districts are sound, a win could usher in a wave of similar litigation by school districts across the nation, said Derek W. Black, an education law professor at the University of South Carolina. 

“What’s on the line here is not the money,” he said. “What’s on the line is the court saying these groups are responsible and therefore they must stop this behavior. That’s what’s on the line: the mental health of the current generation and those that follow.”

Others aren’t so sure.

“It is not a winning lawsuit, and it shouldn’t be,” said Aaron Saiger, an education law professor at Fordham University.

Here’s a look at where the case stands and what legal experts anticipate the future may hold:

What the school district and social media companies are saying

Seattle’s school district has argued that social media companies are maximizing profit at the expense of the mental health of young audiences, who spend significant amounts of time on the platforms and report associating them with stress and anxiety, according to the complaint.

Meanwhile, the social media companies named in the lawsuit emphasized their own commitments to teen and child safety.

“We want teens to be safe online,” said Antigone Davis, global head of safety at Meta, noting the company has developed parental supervision tools and other privacy and safety measures on teen accounts. “We don’t allow content that promotes suicide, self-harm or eating disorders, and of the content we remove or take action on, we identify over 99% of it before it’s reported to us.”

Spokespeople for Google and Snapchat highlighted similar steps they’ve taken to enhance safety for teenagers and children, like allowing parents to impose screen time limits or monitor whom their kids are connecting with on the platform. ByteDance did not respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit seeks a court order labeling the actions of the company a public nuisance under Washington law, a term that applies to actions that endanger a considerable number of people. It asks the court to tell the companies halt the practices noted in the suit and provide financial compensation to the district. 

How likely the case is to succeed

To Black, a school district is an unexpected plaintiff, but one he believes could have higher odds of success than individual families.

He drew comparisons to cases against the tobacco industry, which grew more successful as governments pursued lawsuits based on the harmful impact of the product on state healthcare systems. An individual might struggle to prove their negative experiences were clearly caused by the product but with broader trend data to refer to, the argument becomes more compelling, he said.

The focus on product design, rather than content on the platform, adds viability to the case, Black added.

“This isn’t just about holding the internet in general liable,” he said. “This is about specific affirmative actions that Google, YouTube, Facebook and others are taking.”Become a Chalkbeat sponsorhttps://828600fe5aa45bf05a2a149ca5e15adc.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

But others believe that it points to a common marketing strategy and doesn’t make a compelling case for legal liability.

“A lot of product marketers would love to addict their customers and do everything in their power to do so — that’s called product marketing,” said Eric Goldman, a technology and marketing law professor at Santa Clara University. “We don’t hold many services or products liable for addicting customers.”

Casinos, for example, aren’t held liable for gambling addictions, he said.

Saiger questioned whether the district had standing. Rather than tobacco cases, he felt it was more comparable to a school district suing a sugary food manufacturer for making children ill in their district.

“It’s a very long causation chain, and I don’t think the courts will be inclined to let the school district pursue it,” he said. “To say, ‘We’re service providers to children whose mental health is affected by thousands of things, and we picked you,’ strikes me as a very attenuated way to understand liability under the nuisance law.”

Goldman also questioned the timing of the case, noting that an ongoing lawsuit by dozens of families against social media companies has made similar arguments. That case, as well as the pending U.S. Supreme Court case Gonzalez v. Google, could have dramatic implications for the school district lawsuits, he said.

“I would assume the [school district] case is going to fail,” he said. “But the battle is taking place in the legislatures as well.” 

What the case could mean — win or lose

Regardless of outcome, the case will attract additional media attention and public scrutiny, experts said. A win could spark other lawsuits and bring changes to social media companies, while a loss might spur litigators to shift tactics in future cases.

“If the evidence that’s in the complaint is true, it is one of, if not, the most important lawsuits to be filed during my lifetime,” Black said. “Because it stretches across so many states … This case, though it would have to be replicated elsewhere, is potentially a huge turning point that is equally significant for the entire nation.”

It’s complicated to think about what remedies are possible in the case, Saiger said. He believes social media offers a public good, unlike tobacco or asbestos, for example.

“A plausible remedy in the opioid case was to take the pills off the market,” he said. “That’s not a plausible remedy, in my opinion, for social media, because it has social value.”

Though the court could intervene and seek changes to social media companies’ business practices, such as insisting against certain marketing strategies or requiring stronger age verification, Saiger said such changes seemed more likely to come from a state legislative body.

Goldman added the court is unlikely to consider the benefits of social media. 

“It’s not really the court’s job to try to balance that kind of evidence, particularly because the proponents of the benefits of social media might not be in the courtroom,” he said. “That’s what legislators are supposed to do.”

Some state legislatures have already taken steps in that direction. California lawmakers, for example, passed the Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, which imposes more stringent requirements that online services identify and protect minors on their sites.

Signed into law last fall, it faces a legal challenge from the tech trade group NetChoice, which includes major industry players like Google, TikTok, and Meta.

Still, if the school district case is able to proceed, the stakes could be enormous.

“If the plaintiffs tell their story to the judge and are successful, the consequences could be a radical reshaping of the internet,” Goldman said. “That’s a good reason for us to both be concerned about the lawsuit and to question whether or not this is the right way to solve the problem.”

What the science says about social media’s effects

As legal experts disagree about the viability of the case, the science, too, isn’t completely clear.

While research has drawn links between, say, social media use and anxiety or certain types of content and maladaptive behavior, it has not established a clear causal relationship between social media and worsening trends in youth mental health and depression, said Mitch Prinstein, the chief science officer at the American Psychological Association.

“Is social media, by itself, and just kids’ normal use of it, solely responsible for the national trend we’re seeing in youth mental health? Probably not,” he said, adding he wasn’t commenting on the legal arguments. “From a scientific perspective we can’t say that, nor do I know that we could ever say that.”

The claim becomes murkier when accounting for other variables, like economic stress, increased divisiveness across the country, and changing depictions of mental health in media and popular culture. Further muddying the waters are potential upsides associated with social media use.

“On the flipside, kids are now using tech to have their primary interaction with other peers — and we do know there’s very deep research that shows that our interpersonal relationships have a very profound effect on our risk for mental health difficulties and even our physical health,” Prinstein added. “And we are seeing that kids are reporting pretty directly that their social media experiences are making them feel more isolated and lonely.”

So is social media fueling national trends in youth mental health?

“It’s just very hard to answer scientifically,” he said.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization covering public education.

Related:
Avoiding the pitfalls of social media in school

The pandemic’s on students’ social and emotional well-being continues to be felt in schools nationwide. Here at Lincoln County R-III School District in Missouri, we are no different. Many of our students are struggling with regulating their emotions. We’re seeing students needing more social and emotional support.

The Lincoln County Resource Board (LCRB) Mid-year School Based Programs Assessment (January, 2022) listed the most critical behavioral/mental health (BH/MH) issues school personnel believed students were facing. 

• The second most critical BH/MH issue was “anxiety, worry a lot, fear” (93 percent).
• The third most critical BH/MH issue was “controlling emotions, anger management, and conflict resolution” (78 percent), similar to the May and December of 2020 results. 

These challenges are not unique to our school district; in fact, the demand for social and emotional learning (SEL) programs has grown rapidly as more and more districts see this need grow and recognize the value of implementing these programs. A 2021 Tyton Partners report noted school and district spending on SEL grew approximately 45 percent between November 2019 and April 2021 and that student wellbeing had become the top priority among schools and districts.

Our district implemented a social and emotional learning initiative in 2019, which
includes a PK-12 SEL curriculum (RULER), a SEL screener (DESSA) and interventions and preventions such as SEL focused Building Intervention Teams. We also adopted online student safety and wellness courses for students, which reinforce some of these SEL skills such as managing stress and developing healthy relationships.

We learned during this process that it’s important to take a multi-pronged approach to SEL. Here are some ways to do this:

1. Prioritize SEL at the district level. Our district recognized we needed a more
systematic approach to social and emotional wellness for students and staff. So, we created the Director of Social Emotional Learning & Support position. The Director of Social Emotional Learning and Supports is primarily focused on developing and leading all District social and emotional supports for students and assisting school staff with appropriate interventions as necessary. This position also coordinates with outside community agencies for student support. We’ve selected RULER as our SEL curriculum and the DESSA as our SEL screener. We created plans for interventions on SEL wellness, dedicating time to helping students specifically work on skills they need instruction with.

When implementing an SEL initiative, it’s important to have a systematic approach and to take it slow. To aid with the districtwide approach it’s helpful to have it a part of the district level comprehensive improvement plan.  Then, each building can develop their building level improvement plans to set targeted goals to help reach the district’s end goal.

2. Find programs that help cover multiple bases – and set aside dedicated time to do them. Our district adopted online Student Safety and Wellness Courses from Vector Solutions because they are excellent tools to help promote discussions about important issues like bullying, stress management, having healthy relationships, and more. The courses help reinforce social and emotional skills and also help us meet state requirements around some of these issues. Adopting programs that serve multiple needs can help a district be more efficient and more targeted in how it’s supporting students. We look for tools that are going to check multiple boxes.

Once you have those multi-purpose tools, create dedicated class time to use them. Our district has what we call “WIN Time” (“What I Need”) – a dedicated period of time during homeroom for intervention. It can be used for academics or SEL. A teacher can use that time, for example, to have students watch and have a group discussion around one of the Vector video-based lessons.

3. Practice – and reward – positive behavior. This can go a long way toward helping students grow their social and emotional skills and in creating a positive school climate. Troy South Middle School, which serves more than 800 students in grades 6-8, is a great example of a school with a strong focus on this. Middle school can be a tough transition for some students. Troy South Middle School implemented a school wide Positive Behavior Support program with the goal of helping to build positive relationships between students and their peers and teachers while also outlining/explaining
building-wide expectations. The school’s Positive Behavior Supports Matrix describes positive behaviors students can practice in various settings such as using positive language with staff and peers in the classroom or being a responsive listener and active participant during assemblies. Students can earn “RRAP tickets” (Respectful, Ready to learn, Accountable, Positive) for making good behavioral choices, which can be redeemed for various privileges and/or rewards.

The school also does kindness challenges in the fall and spring to support positive behavior. And teachers reinforce behavior by using positive language. For instance, the school has a “chill zone” and a “focus room.” Instead of having negative connotations, it’s explained to students that they don’t go to these spaces because they’re in trouble, it’s because they need space. You need to set the right language and tone of your voice. If a student is having a negative reaction to a situation, we have them take what RULER calls a “Meta-Moment”–a brief step back from the situation where they pause and think about how to turn that reaction positive.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to SEL. However, implementing SEL on a district-wide level, using high-quality curriculum, assessments, and courses that check multiple boxes, and emphasizing positive behavior will all help to provide a well-rounded program.

Related:
How to identify student anxiety in the classroom
Educators, parents remain vigilant about protecting student mental health

Issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic continue to pop up as educators devote more time to student anxiety issues in the classroom. Frustrations mount as they attempt to manage both instructional requirements and a decrease in achievement from at-risk students.

In particular, teachers report escalating anxiety symptoms since the pandemic lockdowns, and data is now available to support their conclusions. The CDC recently declared a student mental health crisis, with 44 percent of high school students reporting sadness or hopelessness.

Dealing with struggling students can overwhelm teachers as they report spending more time attempting to support individuals while shortchanging the rest of the class. Diagnosing and remedying problems is essential.

Every teacher knows that certain cognitive functions must be present for students to learn. Students need:

• Concentration
• Motivation
• Initiative
• Interest
• Self-esteem/efficacy

When students battle the effects of anxiety, all learning pathways shut down, leaving students cognitively drained and consumed with negative thoughts.

Anxiety is not necessarily bad. Everyone experiences it occasionally. It’s common for students to feel a little anxious before a test or presentation. This excitable state can enhance performance. A high anxiety level–one that zaps a student’s concentration, motivation, and initiative–can result in a student shutting down. There are ways to break up an anxious cycle, starting with identifying negative behavior.

Related:
5 ways to help special education students manage testing anxiety
Effective ways to help students reduce stress and anxiety

Telling the difference between mild, transitory anxiety and anxiety that blocks learning over time is a little tricky. It can manifest in several ways. Here are a few common anxiety symptoms noticeable in class.

Identifying anxious behavior

Change in behavior

Have you noticed a student whose mood, energy, or demeanor has changed over time? Perhaps their academic performance dropped off for no apparent reason. This behavior change may be the beginning of an anxiety cycle, and it’s essential to address it as soon as possible before habits are ingrained.

Avoidance

Low participation in class or complete withdrawal can be a sign of student anxiety. Frequent somatic complaints like stomach issues or headaches may be an avoidance strategy. A student who often excuses himself for a bathroom break or asks to visit the nurse may exhibit avoidance. First, before labeling it as an anxiety tactic to get out of schoolwork, ensure the student has a medical checkup to alleviate other sources for the behavior.

Concentration or organizational issues

Difficulties with concentration, organization, or missed assignments may indicate a student is more focused on their feelings of anxiety than the work. The student is overwhelmed, and test anxiety is often a trigger.

Physical signs

Students who bite their nails, pull on their hair, shake their legs, etc., may be experiencing anxiety. Some may even go so far as self-injury, like digging a nail or a pushpin into their skin. Distractions like these provide them with a soothing sensory input, alleviating feelings of anxiety.

Oppositional behavior

Do you have a student that acts out in class? What may look like defiance might be an avoidance tactic. Acting out creates chaos in the classroom, setting up a diversion that gets them out of doing the work. If successful the first time, the student will continue this disruptive behavior.

Effective strategies to support anxious students

Identifying behaviors that block the learning process is the first step to helping students cope. A wide variety of stressors often trigger anxious behaviors. Problems at home can cause sadness or hopelessness, unrealistic expectations can lead to perfectionism and hidden disabilities can cause shame as students fall behind in class. All these factors can provoke undue stress and lead to problematic behaviors.

In the case of the Randolph School District in New Jersey, 40 percent of the students experienced severe anxiety and depression—many being high-achieving students. This prompted the school to launch a comprehensive mental health program to support at-risk students. Because of the overwhelming problems, the district opted for a more comprehensive support system and implemented student mental health workshops and training. The student success rate increased.

Connect with your students

A simple first step is to get to know your students. When questionable behaviors manifest, teachers need to determine what’s behind them before intervening effectively. Students who struggle are often unwilling to talk. Building trust can go a long way to opening a line of communication.

An effective strategy is “2/20.” If a student is disengaged or acting out, spend just two minutes a day for at least 20 days focusing on them. Start a conversation on anything but school and begin to build trust. As the student becomes more comfortable talking with you, they may eventually open up and talk about their issues. Once this is established, you can collaboratively create strategies to manage stressors.

Self-awareness exercises

Teaching students how to recognize anxiety symptoms goes a long way in preventing or diffusing an anxiety attack and helps the teacher manage the situation. If students learn to recognize that a stomachache, sweaty palms, or a racing heart are the start of an impending episode, they can take the next step and learn to self-regulate. A helpful technique is “How Does Your Engine Run?” This strategy helps them effectively identify their feelings and then teaches them to regulate their behavior.

Accommodations and the nature of anxiety (IEP)

If a student’s anxiety is overwhelming and an IEP is called for, teachers need to understand why the adjustments are important. Other students may view accommodations as unfair, like a decreased workload, a special seating assignment or an agreement to come to class late and leave early.

Understanding the changes and advocating for struggling students can go a long way in clearing a path to success. It’s about giving students what they need. It’s equitable, not equal.

With the recent increase in at-risk students, teachers are the first line of defense. Educators who strive to understand the nature of anxiety, how to spot the symptoms and learn a few strategies to support these students can change student lives profoundly. Being observant and proactive in mitigating student anxiety is essential for all teachers.

Parents still voice overwhelming concerns for student mental health and online safety, according to a GoGuardian survey conducted by Morning Consult.

With the 2022-23 school year underway, parents and educators appear to favor online tools that protect students from harmful content and help detect student mental health concerns, according to the survey. 

The nationally representative group of nearly 2,500 K-12 parents, teachers, and administrators indicated both significant concerns for student mental health and a high level of support for schools using online technologies to help keep kids safe.

The need for online safety is especially clear when considering the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory highlighting the urgency of the nation’s youth mental health crisis. Morning Consult’s survey found that parents and educators recognize the role the internet can play in exacerbating mental health issues.

Key findings related to student mental health and safety from the survey include:

• Concern for student safety is high: More than 83% of K-12 parents, educators, and administrators feel a high level of concern for student mental health and violence in schools.
• The internet plays a role in influencing self-harm or violence: More than 72% of respondents agreed the internet plays a strong role in influencing students to harm themselves or others.
• Unrestricted access can be detrimental or harmful: Over three in four respondents agree that unrestricted access to the internet on school-issued devices can be detrimental to student mental health. 
• There is support for online tools that protect student safety: Nearly 90% of all respondents support online educational technology that could help detect signs of a student considering harming themselves or others.

Related:
Using data insight platforms to improve SEL strategies
Our district is battling a loneliness epidemic

Whether talking in-person or virtually, even small conversations play an important role in creating the connections students need. But it can be challenging to carve out time in our busy schedules to focus on building these relationships.

As educators, we must make the time to ensure that every student feels seen and heard. All of us need a support system, and this is especially important for students in their teenage years. Yet, many felt alone over the past couple of years because of pandemic-induced isolation. That isn’t OK, and studies have already shown the traumatic impact the loneliness epidemic is having on students across the country.  

At Classical Academy High School near San Diego, we’ve spent the past few years ensuring that every student has an educator in their corner. It’s become clear that using technology with a purpose is impactful and provides students more access to their teachers. 

The current generation of students has grown up connecting with friends via video games and texting tools. That’s why we strive to meet them where they are at by giving them the ability to speak with us in the ways that work best for them. 

We give our students the ability to connect with us through reflection tools like Along, an online teacher-connection builder. We provide them weekly one-on-one mentoring with a trusted adult at school through the Summit Learning program. We’ve even given them the ability to speak with us through video games, and the results have been amazing. Not only are we connecting more with our students, we’re seeing them drive the conversations!

Related:
A higher-ed partnership transformed student mental health services at our school
How analytics can identify student mental health challenges

In order for students to actually learn, they need to feel engaged on a cognitive and emotional level. They also need to feel safe. 

Take a minute and think about that: students need to feel safe. 

The first step in students feeling safe in school is having a positive relationship with the adult who is leading their educational journey. As Rita Pearson details in her famous TED Talk, every child deserves a champion or an adult who can make them feel safe and insist on them being the best they can be.

Relationships with students matter

Recently, I asked my friends on social media to share their stories of teacher champions. Here are two of the responses I received:

My 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Miller, was my teacher champion! I entered 2nd grade not liking to read, and not really connecting with any of my former teachers. I remember walking into Mrs. Miller’s room feeling like the most important person. She always greeted me with a smile and had conversations with me about my life. She instilled my love for reading and love for school in general. I wanted to be just like her, and I knew I wanted to be a teacher from that moment. She is currently in her final year of teaching, and she is a cancer survivor. We are still in touch to this day

My champion is Mr. Hesling, my high school physics teacher. My parents were going through a divorce, which devastated me. Mr. Hesling knew what I needed without telling me he knew about my home life. I was noticed. I was important. I was safe in 4th hour.

Now, think about an educator who made a difference in your life growing up. What impact did this educator have? Why did they have that impact?

It’s likely because they took time to really get to know you, understand what you needed, and advocated for you.

Building strong relationships with students and having a meaningful impact on their lives matter. Doing so, however, takes time, attention, and some skills.

Building Deep Connections with Students

Creating lasting relationships with your students is all about building trust and getting to know them on a deeper level.

Related:
How I build relationships with students using instructional audio
5 ways relationship mapping supports your students

It’s a given that students will experience stress as they move through school. Learning new concepts, completing assignments and taking tests, and navigating social experiences all contribute to normal stress. But today, our students are struggling with much, much more. And too much stress has dangerous implications for student mental health and well-being.

Anxieties related to lockdowns, school violence, COVID, and family issues have been shown to increase students’ stress levels and can leave them in such a state that they are unable to learn.

In my role as the principal of Salt Lake Center for Science Education-Bryant Middle School in Salt Lake City, I have witnessed first-hand the impact that elevated stress levels have had on our students’ well-being.

As a staff, my colleagues and I have observed and discussed a marked decrease in students’ interpersonal skills, including how they get along with each other and with their teachers. We’ve also noticed a big reduction in how students talk to and get along with other people. This has a big social-emotional impact on them, and we’ve watched our students remain in a frustrated state much of the time.

Meeting student mental health needs

When you work with kids in a school setting, you often know when a student is struggling. Every child struggles in one way or another. But there are some who are struggling to the point where learning isn’t happening as it should.

For nearly five years, we’ve been lucky to partner with the U-TTEC Lab, a contemporary research lab in the University of Utah’s Department of Educational Psychology. The lab works closely with several schools in Utah to provide direct and indirect mental health supports and infrastructure.

This partnership brings trainee therapists or trainee clinicians, working under the supervision of licensed providers, directly to our school. We call the collaboration between the onsite clinicians, school guidance counselors, and administration our “well-being team,” and the clinicians provide 20 hours a week of in-person support.

We operate on a three-tiered mental health and well-being system. On the first tier, our well-being team consults with us on what we’re doing school-wide to support students. Team members help us watch for warning signs and recognize when students have needs. The second tier is group therapy, with parental permission and involvement. The third tier is individual therapy, also requiring parental permission.

Read more:

3 ways to support youth mental health
Chicago students will be able to take mental health days this year

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

This story was produced as part of the Medill Media Teens journalism program for Chicago Public School students at Northwestern University. The writer worked under the mentorship of Medill graduate Anandita Bhalerao.

With working 25 hours a week at her minimum wage job at an ice cream shop, juggling a stressful workload with AP and honors classes, and dealing with anxiety, sometimes Jones College Prep sophomore Meghan Cuddy just needs a break. 

“I feel depressed and miserable a lot of the time in my life,” said Cuddy. “ When I don’t go to school or specific classes, I’m definitely more upbeat than I would typically be. A lot of my misery is derived from specific classes like my math class.”

Like other students in Illinois, Cuddy is now able to take up to five excused mental health days, after a new law went into effect at the beginning of the calendar year. The law came at a critical time as youth are experiencing the mental effects of the pandemic and rising violence in Chicago. 

But there are indications that communication about the law has been inconsistent across schools. 

“I’ve seen people talk about it. It seems like there’s still some confusion about how it works,” said Naima Roberts, a senior board member of Whitney Young High School’s mental health club. “I think maybe one of my friends brought it up over the summer that this law was coming. And then I looked it up on my own and did some Googling and tried to figure out what it was.”

It is unknown how many students in Chicago Public Schools, the nation’s third largest district, have taken mental health days. The district doesn’t track them. While students have expressed appreciation for the law, there is some skepticism about the scope of its impact. 

“I don’t know how it’s going to play out. I’ll give you that. I don’t know what’s going to be different because of it,” said Emil G. Hirsch Metropolitan High School counselor Jennelle Robin.

School counselors have seen firsthand the toll the pandemic has taken on their students. In Chicago, 44% of young children experienced an increase in mental or behavioral health symptoms during the pandemic, according to a report by the Lurie Children’s Hospital.

“I mean we’ve had kids whose parents die, relatives die. And our country does need to increase awareness. Our youth in the city have a lot of trauma,” Robin said. 

Those in the mental health field aren’t shocked by the data. 

“It’s not a surprise to any of us to know that the combination of stress, uncertainty, loss, grief, and change of the last few years combined with the existing stressors of being a teen or a young adult, has contributed to a really significantly rising mental health need,” said Rachel Bhagwat, director of policy at National Alliance on Mental Illness Chicago.

CPS has extended support to students by expanding “care teams” at schools to aid struggling students. And with the increase in gun violence in the city, the district has grown its anti-violence program, which connects students in need to therapy and mentors. 

The law recognizes mental or behavioral problems as a “student illness” and a “valid cause for absence,” according to an email statement by Chicago Public Schools. If a student takes a second mental health day, their school may decide to refer the student to “appropriate support personnel,” such as a counselor or psychologist.  

“Anybody can take the days when they call in their absences. They just say they are taking a mental health day and that’s it. No questions asked,” said James Nicklas, a counselor at Taft High School.

Illinois is among several states that have recently passed legislation supporting the mental health of students, according to The New York Times. In the past two years, Colorado, Connecticut, Arizona, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington have enacted measures that provide students with excused mental health days. Illinois has also passed a bill allowing teachers to take sick days for mental health-related reasons. 

The second week in May was the 21^st annual Mental Health Awareness Week, which this year focused on the impact of loneliness and the practical steps we can take to address it.  

For young people in particular, mental health has become one of the greatest challenges they are faced with today. In the UK, government figures indicate that one in six young people aged 6 to 16 had a probable mental health condition in late 2021, a sharp increase from one in nine in 2017.  

Meanwhile, 50 percent of all lifetime mental illnesses develop by the age of 14, with 75 percent developing by the age of 24, according to NAMI, The National Alliance for Mental Illness in the US. This shows just what a crucial and vulnerable stage adolescence is and why it is so important to support young people in this stage of life.

Mental health is a challenge that schools across the world are grappling with as they constantly seek new ways to safeguard the well-being of their students. It’s also a challenge that has undoubtedly increased as a result of the pandemic, as schools for the first time in history had to close their doors, young people spent more time than ever with their families and away from their friends, and their learning and social lives moved online.

During COVID, teenagers lost the true connection with their peers and therefore the world, they felt isolated and lost their independence while having to deal with the conflicting feelings and thoughts typical of adolescence.

A January 2022 study published in JAMA Pediatrics confirmed what many educators, administrators, and support staff already knew: School closures, disrupted learning, and a pandemic year have coalesced to create an alarming mental health crisis among teenagers.

The study found that up to 60 percent of students are experiencing “strong distress,” including anxiety and depression. The results echoed a recent American Psychological Association (APA) report, which found that more than 80 percent of teenagers experienced “more intense stress” during the pandemic.

In other words, as Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, notes, “Mental health challenges in children, adolescents, and young adults are real and widespread. Even before the pandemic, an alarming number of young people struggled with feelings of helplessness, depression, and thoughts of suicide — and rates have increased over the past decade.”

To support students during this uniquely challenging time, schools are implementing a variety of stop-gap solutions, including closing for short durations, to help alleviate stress while diverting resources, adjusting curriculums, enhancing care opportunities to improve students’ learning and mental health outcomes.

Each of these efforts is excellent, but they are unlikely to provide the tools kids need to flourish when implemented alone. However, when schools eliminate barriers to access support, streamline onboarding to maximize resources, and increase collaboration across support systems, they can most effectively help students achieve holistic wellness.

Eliminate barriers to support services

Asking for help is hard. It requires tremendous courage, the right opportunity, and a listening ear, three ingredients that are too often allusive for students. Therefore, when a student communicates a need to a teacher, coach, counselor, administrator, social worker, or other trusted adult, schools need a safe and secure process for sharing this information with qualified support services.

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

Many Michigan school administrators say they’ve often served as stand-in public health officials during the pandemic. So it’s no surprise that districts across the state are eager to get some backup from a program that opens clinics in school buildings.

School-based health centers make it convenient for students to leave class and walk down the hall for therapy, a medical checkup, or a dental appointment. While the first centers in Michigan opened decades ago, policymakers have renewed interest in them in the wake of COVID and the ongoing student mental health crisis.

As advocates push for a major funding increase, the outcome of this year’s budget negotiations could shape Michigan’s system for supporting student mental health for years to come — even after federal COVID funds run out. It would mean new health centers in roughly 100 districts that have expressed an interest in opening one but weren’t awarded funds.

Rates of depression and suicide among Michigan youth were already rising when the pandemic hit. State and federal officials are now warning of an emergency in youth mental health. Yet one-third of Michigan students with a mental illness don’t receive treatment, particularly in rural areas.

Many school districts are trying to address that problem by putting more counselors, nurses, and social workers in schools with their share of federal COVID funds, according to a Chalkbeat analysis of spending plans. Adding new school-based health centers would make those efforts more effective, experts say, because the centers are better equipped to assist with the most complex cases, freeing up school staff to handle other needs.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants the state to invest an additional $11 million to open new health centers in schools this year. A bipartisan group of lawmakers studying the Oxford shooting agree that more funding is needed, though they haven’t yet said how much. Advocates are pushing for even more: an additional $25 million this year, which would nearly double the state’s current investment in the centers.

Here’s what you need to know about school-based mental health centers.

What is a school-based health center?

The centers are formed under an agreement between local health care providers, such as a hospital system, a school district, and the state. All three parties share the costs.

Unlike a typical school nurse’s office, the centers are recognized by the government as health care providers, which means they can more easily provide referrals for care, and they can bill for services if students have insurance.

A new partnership between Sesame Workshop and Discovery Education leverages social and emotional development and learning for a whole-child approach that will target early learners in grades PreK-2.

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit media and educational organization behind Sesame Street, and Discovery Education‘s K-12 digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. The new Sesame Workshop-branded early learner channel will include high-quality video content; lesson plans and educator resources; interactive games and activities for kids; and family partnership supports–all focused on a whole-child approach.

Incorporating social and emotional competencies into early learning is critical, and it’s especially important for children who are entering preschool for the first time–they are “pandemic babies” who likely missed group early learning opportunities due to social distancing and pandemic policies.

“We know that children are just barely emerging out of social isolation. This coming school year for 3-year-olds will see the COVID-born babies hitting our school systems, and we need to pay attention to that,” said Akimi Gibson, Vice President & Educational Publisher, Sesame Workshop.

The resources will also help educators identify where learning disruptions are most pronounced–and they’ll also be able to identify strengths, including unexpected strengths, children developed during the pandemic.

There are many pressures that come with being a student, from doing well in school to being accepted by peers. This can be a lot to deal with while growing up in such a fast-paced world–and it can cause mental health deficits that leave lasting effects.

Prior to COVID-19, about 15-20 percent of students already needed mental health support, and following all the uncertainty and change the pandemic has brought into the learning space, that number is only set to increase. Teachers and other school staff often step in to help a student when they realize something is wrong, but, with so many students, shifting responsibilities, and potentially virtual classrooms during the pandemic, staff can easily overlook a student who needs help.

However, when staff members are equipped with the right tools, they can track their observations alongside other data to help monitor students’ moods to catch mental health issues early.

Tapping into everyday data to reveal student mental health trends

Teachers already record plenty of student data, such as attendance and grades, but each piece of information is typically kept in separate databases or logged physically and not stored in a database at all. This limits the data’s ability to be aggregated to reveal trends over time, in turn limiting its ability to inform staff of students’ mental health. However, if this information is recorded on a communication portal, it can all be stored on one platform and be aggregated to reveal any irregularities.