Top concern for superintendents: Student, staff mental health

The mental health of students, teachers and principals was the top concern among superintendents surveyed recently by the Rand Corp. Concerns about mental health outweighed worries about student engagement, discipline, student and teacher attendance and declining enrollment.

The survey, conducted in October through December 2021, included 359 superintendents across the United States. It also found that in 75% of districts, polarization related to Covid vaccines and safety measures was interfering with schools’ ability to educate students. Controversy surrounding critical race theory was a concern for 40% of the respondents.

Declining enrollment and teacher shortages were “major” concerns among superintendents of urban and high-poverty districts as well as districts that serve mostly Black and Latino students.

Among other things, the report recommends that districts start now to develop plans for remote and hybrid instruction in case a new variant forces school closures again. It also suggests that districts create partnerships with organizations such as teacher colleges to alleviate staff shortages.