Trauma

FILE - In this Aug. 26, 2020, file photo, Los Angeles Unified School District students stand in a hallway socially distance during a lunch break at Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood in Los Angeles. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is encouraging schools to resume in-person education next year. He wants to start with the youngest students, and is promising $2 billion in state aid to promote coronavirus testing, increased ventilation of classrooms and personal protective equipment.
Los Angeles public school students maintain social distance in a hallway during a lunch break in 2020.
Jae C. Hong/AP
School & District Management Opinion 6 Years Ago, Schools Closed for COVID. Have We Learned the Right Lessons?
A school administrator outlines four priorities to guide true recovery from the pandemic.
Robert Sokolowski, March 12, 2026
5 min read
Students take a recess break outside of St. Paul district school in St. Paul, MN, February 23, 2026.
Students take recess outside an elementary school in St. Paul, Minn., on Feb. 23, 2026.
Tim Evans for Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement School Counselors See Rising Trauma Linked to Immigration Enforcement
The school staff whose job it is to support students say they see major signs of emotional distress.
Ileana Najarro, February 26, 2026
6 min read
Human hands connected by rope, retro collage from the 80s. Concept of teamwork,success,support,cooperation.
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion Doing the Nearly Impossible: Teaching When the World Delivers Fear
Videos of Renee Good and Alex Pretti's killings are everywhere. How should teachers respond?
Marc Brackett, Robin Stern & Dawn Brooks-DeCosta, January 26, 2026
5 min read
A young man in the city looking at American flag in a surreal window. Concept art of change, solution, freedom, hope, life and environment. Conceptual artwork.
iStock/Getty + Education Week
Families & the Community Opinion ‘What Sort of Nation Terrorizes Children?’: A Teacher’s View From Minneapolis
My students live with the knowledge that anyone they love could be taken by ICE at any moment.
Italia Fittante, January 23, 2026
4 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Equity & Diversity Opinion 'Fear Is a Thief of Focus.' A Teacher on the Impact of ICE and Renee Nicole Good's Death
At a time that feels like a state of emergency, educators are doing their best to protect students.
Larry Ferlazzo, January 12, 2026
4 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion Practical Tips for Creating a Safe and Supportive Space for Students
Student learning, engagement, and behavior are all affected by stress. Learn to recognize the signs.
Larry Ferlazzo, October 14, 2025
14 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion 3 Ways Schools Can Support Students' Mental Health
Childhood trauma and adversity are now acknowledged. Educators need strategies to respond to them.
Larry Ferlazzo, August 19, 2025
3 min read
Abigail Smithson, right, helps hold a large cross during a vigil for flood victims at Tivy Antler Stadium on July 9, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas.
Abigail Smithson, right, helps hold a large cross during a vigil for flood victims at Tivy Antler Stadium on July 9, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. Tivy High School Principal Rick Sralla led efforts to rescue stranded campers during the floods and is now guiding students and staff through the aftermath of the tragedy.
Ashley Landis/AP
School & District Management This Principal Rescued Kids During the Texas Floods. Now, His Work Continues
Principal Rick Sralla is now guiding students and staff through the aftermath of the tragedy.
Olina Banerji, July 24, 2025
7 min read
School Climate & Safety Video Obama Ed. Sec. John King: How to Make School Safe for Students With Trauma
A former education secretary has some suggestions for making schools a safe space for students dealing with trauma.
2:14
Former Secretary of Education John King speaks with Education Week during an interview on May 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Former Secretary of Education John King reflects on his tenure and on the changing teaching profession in an exclusive interview with Education Week on May 5, 2025, in Washington.
Sam Mallon for Education Week
Teaching Q&A Obama Ed. Sec. John King: Teachers Can't Be Bombarded With Reforms
He describes life through the lens of the teachers who shaped him, and reflects on his time leading the nation's education agency.
Sarah D. Sparks, May 6, 2025
8 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion COVID Still Affects Classrooms. Here's How
Five years after the start of the pandemic, educators witness its ongoing consequences.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 29, 2025
11 min read
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Photograph of crime scene tape and school.
F. Sheehan for Education Week / Getty
School Climate & Safety Leading a District After a School Shooting Is Hard. These Superintendents Want to Help
A network of superintendents who've led districts after school shootings plans to support colleagues recovering from similar crises.
Evie Blad, March 18, 2025
4 min read
Digital art painting of girl looking at a glowing screen, acrylic on canvas texture, storytelling illustration
iStock/Getty Images + Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion Generation Alpha Is Defined by Tragedy
Rising teens have direct digital access to unending pain, violence, and loss, writes Bettina L. Love.
Bettina L. Love, February 6, 2025
3 min read