Embedding Mental Health into School Improvement Policy and Practice
- 1. Department of Psychology, University of California, USA
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.