Catapult Learning EduBlog
The mental health crisis among students continues to escalate, leaving school counselors and educators searching for effective solutions. While Tier 1 support offers universal interventions and Tier 3 provides intensive clinical care, Tier 2 interventions – those designed to help at-risk students before their challenges escalate into crises – are often missing from schools’ mental health systems of supports.
Reading is not only a critical skill but also a joyful activity that sparks creativity, curiosity, and connections within families. Establishing a regular reading routine at home is essential, yet busy schedules often make it difficult for families to dedicate enough time to reading together.
In today’s educational landscape, the need for comprehensive approaches that address both academic needs and non-academic barriers to student success has never been more critical. Catapult Learning, a leader in educational services, has been at the forefront of transforming schools for almost 50 years through its innovative professional development solutions.
Recalling the tried-and-true “put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others” analogy, when teachers are engaged, present, and in the right frame of mind to instruct, positive student outcomes follow. Once overlooked, this critical principle is now gaining traction when it comes to supporting educator wellness.
Student mental health challenges have been rising for the past decade, creating barriers to academic success. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Institute of Mental Health estimated that one in three students struggled with anxiety, depression, trauma, or attention issues that negatively impacted their ability to focus, stay motivated and engaged, and learn.
Now that we’re well into the school year, educators and students are immersed in and focused on their drive toward the shared goal of academic achievement. And by this point, many educators have likely identified patterns of both student success and learning gaps that need to be addressed.
It’s a striking reality. Student mental health challenges continue to rise, yet schools are often severely understaffed to support them. According to the American School Counselor Association, the recommended counselor-to-student ratio is 1:250, and the National Association of School Psychologists suggests 1:500 for psychologists.
Today is World Mental Health Day, and this year’s theme centers on prioritizing mental health in the workplace. For those of us in education, this means turning our attention to the well-being of our educators and staff—a need that has never been more urgent.
The recent release of the CDC’s Youth Behavior Study brings encouraging news: poor mental health among high school students decreased from 2021 to 2023. Kathleen Ethier, director of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health, called the improvements “small yet significant,” likely due to schools’ increased efforts to support student well-being.
It’s been well documented that math performance among K-12 students in the United States declined precipitously during the pandemic and has yet to fully recover. Yes, COVID-19 and distance learning certainly played a role in the drop-off of math scores across the country.
