Schools Archives - National Wraparound Initiative (NWI)
Family Money Problems Impact Teen Mental Health
April 8, 2024 | NWI
New research shows that teens are acutely affected by economic conditions in their daily lives and understand their families’ circumstances. Family finances can vary over time, and the research found that when teenagers said their family was experiencing hardship, they were more likely to be depressed and to get in trouble at school.
Intervention Shows Success in Reducing Disparities in Suspension Rates
January 8, 2024 | NWI
Despite attempts to eliminate bias from school discipline policies, Black students continue to receive harsher punishments than White students for the same infractions. A new intervention, known as empathic discipline, has led to dramatic improvements by encouraging teachers to cultivate a growth mindset and respond with empathy when students act out.
Youth Perspectives on Designing Equitable Out-of-School-Time Programs
December 1, 2023 | NWI
A youth-led research project provides an indication of how young people from marginalized communities may experience out-of-school-time programming, including that they are sometimes treated differently because of race, gender identity, or other factors.
Bike Riding in Middle School May Boost Mental Health
October 30, 2023 | NWI
Teaching middle schoolers bike riding skills as part of physical education classes may help improve their mental health. That’s according to a new study that looked at the effects of a 6-8 week cycling class taught in schools across the U.S.
Behavioral Threat Assessment in Schools: Evidence, Fit, and Appropriateness
October 30, 2023 | NWI
School violence, including school-based gun violence, is a major public health issue that has negative consequences for students, families, schools, and communities. One approach that schools have adopted to address school violence is behavioral threat assessment (BTA). This report describes the current state of BTA implementation and its effectiveness, and provides recommendations for schools, policymakers, funders, and researchers on addressing BTA use in schools.
Navigating SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) with Older Youth
September 24, 2023 | NWI
While many SEL programs and much of the research to date have focused on elementary school-aged children, more recent research shows that middle and high school-aged youth can also show substantial benefits from explicit opportunities for social and emotional development. This blog explores the benefits of and enabling conditions for high-quality SEL programs for young people in middle and high school.
Training for Just a Few Teachers Could Cut Racial Discipline Gap in Half
September 24, 2023 | NWI
Students of color continue to be disciplined at higher rates than their white peers for the same behaviors. A new study suggests targeted teacher supports could significantly shrink discipline gaps. About 5 percent of teachers accounted for nearly 35 percent of all discipline referrals. These teachers sent a student to the office for discipline on average once every four days, while their colleagues referred fewer than one student for discipline, on average, every other month.
Training Marginalized Youth to Become Tomorrow’s Mental Health Care Providers
September 24, 2023 | NWI
This article describes a new pilot program that gives Los Angeles high schoolers from marginalized backgrounds a chance to explore careers in mental health.
Mental Health and Schools: Best Practices to Support Our Students
July 23, 2023 | NWI
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) built upon effective, culturally and linguistically responsive interventions are the most promising strategy for achieving positive student behavioral health outcomes. This report highlights the current strengths and barriers related to promoting healthy outcomes for students living with mental health concerns, and provides actionable recommendations and strategies to ensure that all children and families have access to the services and supports they need in order to thrive.
Evidence for Social and Emotional Learning in Schools
April 21, 2023 | NWI
A new report synthesizes evidence on the effectiveness of social and emotional learning. Meta-analyses cover students in every grade level (PreK–12) and have shown medium to large effect sizes on a wide range of outcomes. The report also considers the next steps for research in SEL.