Office of Children’s Mental Health Focuses on Improving School Outcomes

FROM THE WISCONSIN OFFICE OF CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH
Office of Children’s Mental Health Director Linda Hall today announces the publication of a new fact sheet about improving school outcomes and what our communities can do to make a difference.
Highlights include:
- Students who struggle with mental health issues are at especially high risk for expulsion, perform lower on academic achievement tests, and have decreased graduation rates.
- Early child care and education providers should increase their understanding of the importance of using trauma-informed principles and addressing their own racial and gender implicit biases.
- Preschool providers should implement a curriculum that builds children’s social and emotional skills and increase family engagement to address challenging behaviors and reduce expulsions.
- Parents should set expectations about time spent on each class per week and regularly check in with teachers to gain a better understanding of the areas in which their child may be struggling.
- Policymakers should prioritize spending on early care and education to reduce the school-to-prison pipeline.
See the complete fact sheet