Embedding Mental Health into School Improvement Policy and Practice - Abstract
Based on analyses of school improvement policy and practice, it is clear that efforts to address mental health concerns in schools are marginalized in school improvement policy. To end the marginalization, prevailing school policy and practices for addressing learning, behavior, and emotional problems require reframing. This paper reports on facets of our Center’s R&D work that (a) clarifies key matters related advancing mental health in schools, (b) delineates the need to expand school improvement policy and practice from a two to a three component framework, and (c) embeds mental health interventions into the third component by reframing how schools address barriers to learning and teaching and reengage disconnected students.