“I’ve grieved a lot of things during this pandemic. The sad thing is I don’t even have time to process all of it because I have to finish this essay, or I have to show up to this one important Zoom, or I have this test that I have to study for,” ninth-grader Sierra Leone Anderson of Los Angeles told EdSource. Over the summer, she joined a coalition of teachers, students and parents across L.A. Unified School District and became civically active. This new outlet sparked her interest in her studies anew. “I’ve realized that that’s what the pandemic has taught me — that you need to focus on your mental health and prioritize that over other things sometimes,” Sierra said.

Students and families have suffered from “a trio of crises” this past year: the rapid spread of a deadly virus, financial instability as a result of the economic impact of the pandemic, and racial violence and injustice. On top of that, school closures have led to social isolation for students as they lost their daily connection to peers and many adult relationships.

As a result, anxiety, depression and lack of motivation are all on the rise. Emergency room visits for children’s mental health increased by 31% for those aged 12-17 from April - October 2020, when the majority of schools were closed. And a recent survey of California students found that 32% who were not receiving mental health services prior to the pandemic feel that they may now require this support.

Caring for students’ mental health is critical in and of itself. But it also has a tremendous impact on academic success. For example, studies have shown a positive association between: programs aimed at developing social, emotional, and cognitive skills and students’ academic outcomes; self-control and grade point average; self management and academic achievement. Students experiencing anxiety, depression, or trauma will struggle to learn. Thus we cannot successfully address learning loss alone; we must integrate caring for the social and emotional wellbeing of students as well.

Source: Brookings Institute

Teachers are also suffering. Said one Oakland Unified School District principal, “Teachers are working 10 times as hard to see one-tenth the impact with distance learning.” There are few wins for teachers this year as developing relationships with students and fostering learning are challenged by a virtual offering. And this is threatening teacher retention: 27% of educators nationally are considering leaving the profession in a context where teacher shortages are already highly problematic for our state.

Students and parents agree that social and emotional support is a key priority for return to school. A survey of Californian youth and parents of color identified “support for mental health and building positive relationships for students” as their number one priority. One coalition of Superintendents, education nonprofits, funders, and teacher associations have called for a new Three Rs: relationships, routines, and resilience to ensure a successful return to school.

How Philanthropy Can Help

Philanthropy can support a restorative return to school where support for the social-emotional needs of students and staff is provided for and where all students, staff, and families have a sense of belonging. This kind of positive school climate is the foundation for wellbeing and learning at school. Approaches that philanthropy can invest in include:

Social Emotional Learning. Programs that help students reduce anxiety and stress, build coping skills and resilience are more important than ever as students and teachers come back together and begin to unpack the complex ways that each individual experienced the pandemic and its impact. Philanthropy is well positioned to support the integration of wellness, mindfulness, stress reduction techniques, and mind-body education into classrooms to reach all or most students at a school (universal reach programs). Also important is adopting restorative practices for behavioral issues.

Family Engagement & Advocacy. One lesson that schools, families and education leaders have gleaned from the pandemic is the importance of partnering with families. When school and district leaders listen to students and families and empower them in shared decision making, they feel engaged in learning and in the school. This creates a healthier school community overall.

One opportunity for philanthropic investment is to support organizations that are equipping diverse families with the skills and power to elevate their concerns and craft solutions that make sense for their communities. These parent and student voices can have a powerful and positive impact on programs and policies not only at the school level but at district and state level as well. They also serve as an outlet for developing diverse parent and youth leadership, building community relationships, and empowering disenfranchised groups - all important to foster well being.

“When change is led by the parents most impacted by failing schools—they finally become the forethought, not an afterthought.”

Lakisha Young, Co-Founder & CEO, Oakland REACH

Another area for investment is deep engagement of families and students who have struggled the most during distance learning. Some students will need support navigating a return to school, particularly those who have been chronically absent. Others will need support overcoming barriers they face in engaging in school and learning, for example newcomers, those experiencing homelessness, and foster youth. Family liaisons, comprised of peer families conducting personalized, ongoing outreach and problem solving with families, is showing real promise in some communities. Teacher home visits is another model showing positive outcomes. Being able to offer this support in multiple languages will be important to reach diverse families and students.

Community Schools is a model that embraces a comprehensive approach to serve the whole child, with positive outcomes documented. Community schools partner with community groups and local government to provide a holistic approach to academics, health and social services, youth and community development. Oakland has been on an ambitious agenda for the last decade - transforming all 86 schools into community schools. San Francisco recently announced a plan to transform the city’s public education that centers around community schools as well.

Wellbeing

How Philanthropy Can Help