Resource Whole Child Policy Advisory Group Resources

The whole child approach to education uses policies that foster safe, healthy learning environments where all students can thrive and achieve academic success. A whole child-centered education encompasses all areas of student development and learning. This approach includes school climate, student mental health, social-emotional learning, workforce skill-building, out-of-school learning opportunities and adult capacity building. 

• Learning Policy Institute’s (LPI) Whole Child Learning & Development Presentation 
• LPI’s Whole Child Education 
• LPI’s Playbook: Design Principles for Schools, Putting the Science of Learning and Development Into Action 
• NCSL’s Cultivating Healthy Learning Environments Through Whole Child Education 

LPI designed the Whole Child Policy Toolkit to provide state policymakers and education leaders with strategies, tools and resources related to whole child policy. This is a living document and is regularly updated. This document came out of work from the Whole Child Policy Table, which has members from state-facing membership organizations, researchers and policy groups that work on whole child education issues.  

• LPI’s Whole Child Policy Toolkit  
• NCSL’s Legislator’s Guide to the Learning Policy Institute’s Whole Child Toolkit

NCSL’s advisory group includes legislators and legislative staff from 12 states: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah and Vermont. The legislators are members of health and human services, children and youth and various education committees.  

• Career Connects Washington  
• Boston College City Connect 
• Connecticut Commission on Women, Children and Seniors 
• South Carolina: ALL4SC 
• South Carolina Whole Child Education Policy: A Preliminary Analysis 
• South Carolina Whole Child Education Policy: Highlights and Next Steps 

States have been enacting policies to address student mental health needs by increasing access to mental health services in schools, providing training for educators on identifying and supporting students' mental health, and implementing comprehensive mental health programs that prioritize prevention, early intervention, and support services. These legislative efforts aim to create a supportive and inclusive environment where students can thrive both academically and emotionally, ensuring that their mental health needs are met alongside their educational development. 

• NCSL’s Student Mental Health Emerges as Focus of Education Bills in 2022 
• SHAPE’s School Mental Health State Policy Map 

Many states have enacted legislation that focuses on increasing access to mental health services in schools by requiring or encouraging the presence of qualified mental health professionals, such as counselors, psychologists and social workers. These mental health professionals provide assessments, counseling, crisis intervention and other mental health supports to students. State legislation often includes provisions for training and professional development opportunities for these professionals, as well as strategies to integrate mental health services into the broader school framework.  

• NCSL’s To Address Student Well-Being, States Increase Access to Mental Health in Schools 

Whole child legislation also looks at social-emotional learning (SEL). State policies focused on SEL look to promote the development of critical skills such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. These policies often include the integration of SEL programs into the curriculum, providing training for educators on implementing SEL strategies, and creating supportive and inclusive school climates that prioritize students' social and emotional needs.  

• NCSL’s Social and Emotional Learning Webpage 
• NABSE’s Gauging Support for Social and Emotional Skill Building 
• CASEL’s SEL Framework 
• CASEL’s Background on SEL 
• Science of Learning and Development Presentation 
• NCSL’s State SEL Legislative Trends Presentation 
• AIR’s Social and Emotional Learning Hub 
• National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine’s the Promise of Adolescence: Realizing Opportunity for All Youth Report 
• Center for American Progress’s Social and Emotional Supports for Educators During and After the Pandemic  

Community schools are a key component of whole child legislation, as they prioritize the comprehensive well-being of students by addressing their academic, social, emotional and physical needs. These schools serve as hubs that bring together various community partners, resources, and services to support students and their families. State legislation focused on community schools often provides funding and support for the establishment and expansion of these schools, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between schools, community organizations and local government agencies.  

• National League of Cities’ Recommendations for Building Community Learning Hubs 
• Blueprint for Maryland’s Future 
• LPI’s Community Schools Playbook 
• City Connect Presentation on Community Schools 
• Overview of Community Schools in Maryland 
• Boston College Center for Thriving Children’s policy brief, Building Systems of Integrated Student Supports 
• Communities in School’s Integrated Student Supports State Policy Toolkit 

Many states have enacted legislation that focuses on providing professional development opportunities for educators and school staff to enhance their knowledge and skills in areas such as social and emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, cultural competence, and inclusive teaching strategies. State legislation often includes provisions for funding, training programs, and collaboration with external partners to promote ongoing professional growth and capacity building among school personnel. 

• UCLA’s Center for Community Schooling Presentation 
• LPI’s Building Adult Capacity Presentation 
• UCLA’s Center for Community School Community Teachers Executive Summary Report 
• LPI’s How Can States and Districts Use Federal Recovery Funds Strategically  
• Teacher Leadership for Whole Child Education: A Global Perspective