Three innovative ways schools can support student well-being and improve school climate
- Issue Areas
- K-12 education Health and well-being
Young people across the United States are struggling with mental or behavioral health issues at unprecedented rates. In 2023, over 20 percent of 12-17 year olds had a diagnosed mental or behavioral issue. Recent national survey data showed that 41% of high school students (and 51% of high school parents) don’t think their school adequately supports mental health and well-being.
This crisis has significant implications on students’ likelihood of upward mobility. A young person's mental health powerfully affects their ability to engage with school, and negative experiences at school can be detrimental to a student’s mental health. Regardless of the cause, students experiencing behavioral and mental health challenges are less likely to succeed academically, graduate from high school, and continue onto post-secondary education.
The strong links between student mental health, the school environment, and academic performance have motivated many local leaders to focus on improving the mental health and behavioral “climate” in schools. School climate refers to the atmosphere in the classroom and common areas (the cafeteria, playground, etc.), the relationships a student has with staff and fellow students, and the behavioral norms that shape conduct throughout the school building. School climate is shaped by student behavior as well as the actions and disciplinary policies of school staff.
To create healthier school climates and address increasing mental health needs, local leaders might consider implementing schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), targeted mentoring and group counseling programs, or “community schools” models.
Universal standards: Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
The first way that school district leaders might improve school climate and student behavior is by instituting school-wide incentives to encourage positive behavior. Evidence-based models such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) can help create a school climate that supports student well-being and academic achievement.
PBIS improves school climate by creating consistent expectations for student behavior that apply in a variety of contexts (e.g. the classroom, hallway, recess). Schools design an “acknowledgement system” to reinforce positive behavior through tokens, class-wide recognition, and other methods. The model also establishes consistent approaches for teachers and administrators in addressing behavioral violations.
PBIS works on three levels: Tier 1 proactively teaches and rewards accepted behaviors for all students. Tier 2 includes targeted group support for some students, and Tier 3 features individualized, intensive interventions for students with significant behavioral challenges.
PBIS has been implemented in over 25,000 schools across the country, and several large-scale evaluations have demonstrated the approach's effectiveness. A 2025 analysis of PBIS in Missouri found that schools using PBIS saw increased attendance rates and reduced out-of-school suspension rates compared to the state’s average.
Mentoring and group counseling: Helping students grow
School district leaders can also improve school climate and student behavior by investing in mentoring and group counseling programs. These programs emphasize peer-to-peer connections, strengthen relationships among students, and cultivate social-emotional skills that can reduce conflict.
Effective programs are often delivered in the school building, during the regular school day, integrated into students' academic experience, and staffed by adults capable of building strong bonds with young people. Generally, participation is voluntary.
In Kansas City (MO), local leaders struggled to serve young people impacted by poverty, violence, and mental health issues. In 2021, local leaders collaborated with Youth Guidance to bring two mentoring programs--Becoming a Man (BAM) and Working on Womanhood (WOW)--to students in Kansas City schools.
BAM and WOW are school-based group counseling and mentoring programs for students in grades 6-12. They are led by counselors who work full time in schools, and programming consists of clinically-based individual and group counseling sessions. In weekly sessions, students participate in facilitated discussions and develop empathy, self regulation, and communication skills through scenarios, role-playing, and group activities.
After serving over 300 Kansas City students in its first year, 73% of BAM participants showed improved social-emotional skills, while 79% of WOW participants demonstrated fewer depression symptoms.
After serving over 300 Kansas City students in its first year, 73% of BAM participants showed improved social-emotional skills, while 79% of WOW participants demonstrated fewer depression symptoms.
Community schools: Supporting students and families with the greatest need
For many students, mental health challenges or behavioral issues in school are rooted in issues outside the classroom. To address these challenges, district leaders should consider providing resources that help meet the basic needs of students and their families.
The community schools model is designed to ensure that students and their families are able to access a range of services within the school building. These services include on-site health and dental care, food assistance, clothing and hygiene products, and direct connections to social services, along with academic-focused supports. This approach is especially important for low income students who may lack necessities at home.
Core to the community schools model is the recognition that schools often serve as central hubs in their communities, and that housing basic needs supports within the school building can meaningfully improve access for students and their families. Successful community schools include dedicated staff members who serve as in-school coordinators, who work with faculty and school leadership to identify students and families in need, then facilitate service provision.
In 2019, schools in Raleigh County (WV) struggled with attendance, academic achievement, and student behavior. Recognizing that many of these challenges stemmed from high levels of poverty and substance use in the community, local leadership partnered with Communities in Schools (CiS) in five local schools. CiS, a national leader in the community schools space, facilitated access to a range of basic needs and academic support for 292 students in the 2021-2022 school year.
Besides making services easier to access, the CIS model helped improve behavior in 57% of students served, resulting in better attendance and fewer suspensions, and has since expanded into 11 other counties in West Virginia.
Taking action:
Given the extent to which school climate influences academic outcomes, interventions in this space can be a meaningful step towards improving graduation rates and upward mobility. Investments in PBIS, mentoring programs, and community schools can be a powerful, evidence-based place to start.
Looking for similar, evidence-based solutions? The Economic Mobility Catalog contains dozens of examples, including the following:
Written by Daniel Daponte and Ross Tilchin