“We are devastated by the massacre that occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 21 people, including 19 students and two teachers. Our children have had to bear so much in recent years and it’s heartbreaking to see their trauma compounded by such […]
Category: Conditions of Children
Conditions of Children
Brain scans show impacts of childhood poverty
Children living in states with stronger social safety nets protecting youth from the impacts of poverty have fewer mental health and behavioral problems and, according to recent research from Harvard University’s psychology department, larger brains. An examination of brain images from 11,000 children in 17 […]
Mental health forum explores needs of students and staff
An online forum hosted by Education Week at the end of March delved into how schools can tackle student and staff mental health issues in the wake of the pandemic. Facing increasing trauma, depression and anxiety while lacking adequate levels of mental health supports, school […]
It’s time to go to school on student mental health
By Dr. Susan Heredia, CSBA President There are exceedingly few silver linings to be found in the tragedy of COVID-19. The academic and social disruption our students have experienced is profound. Yet, if there is one welcome development from the pandemic, it’s the increased attention […]
Identification of homeless youth is vital as housing instability increases
About 2,600 students experienced housing instability in San Mateo County — one of the wealthiest counties in California — between 2016 and 2019. As rates of homelessness increase as a result of the pandemic, local educational agencies must improve identification efforts to ensure students receive […]
TikTok backlash highlights need to address digital literacy among students, families and policymakers
Last fall, local educational agencies throughout the country were inundated with news of rising youth misbehavior and mental health challenges linked to the social media app TikTok, which has become increasingly popular among children and teens. Stories of stolen and destroyed soap dispensers, mirrors, sinks […]
Youth impacted by COVID can benefit from comprehensive systems of care
On June 16, 2020, $14.3 million in ACEs Aware grants was awarded to 100 organizations across California to augment the work of the state’s ACEs Aware initiative. A Dec. 9, 2020 report, Roadmap for Resilience: The California Surgeon General’s Report on Adverse Childhood Experiences, Toxic […]
School connectedness can lessen student depression, support student well-being
Recently released survey data of the nation’s high school students found that teens’ mental health continued a decline that began before the pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey was administered from January through June 2021. More than one-third, or […]
Schools play a big role in child abuse prevention
National Child Abuse Prevention Month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect. In California, there were 391,470 reports of child abuse in 2020 with nearly 60,000 of those verified child abuse cases. Katie Albright, CEO and president […]
Addressing students’ social-emotional needs is a top priority two years into pandemic, Thurmond says
The Public Policy Institute of California on March 29 hosted a virtual conversation with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond on what lessons have emerged in K-12 education in the two years since the pandemic began. As California and the nation embrace a new, […]