School districts across the country have doubled down on student well-being initiatives in recent years as we continue to see behavioral and mental health issues impact America’s students. Most of these barriers to students’ academic success originate at home rather than in school or with teachers.
That’s according to a new analysis from the global education company McGraw Hill, which surveyed more than 1,000 K12 and higher ed teachers in 19 countries to get a better read on issues educators believe are having the biggest educational impact on their students.
According to 57% of respondents, a student’s home life is their greatest barrier to success. This includes insufficiencies primarily surrounding family support.
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In a close second are the behavioral and mental health issues students face, according to 45% of educators. That’s followed by 36% of educators who say their students lack the “prerequisite skills and knowledge.”
“We must do all we can to ensure educators feel supported at every level, so they can help students overcome these obstacles and succeed,” McGraw Hill Chief Executive Officer Simon Allen said in a statement. “The challenges that educators and students are confronted with need to be tackled head-on so that education can be a vehicle for helping future generations overcome deeply entrenched barriers around the world.”
In the U.S. specifically, K12 teachers identified behavioral and mental health challenges (76%) and a struggle to keep students engaged (64%) as the their students’ most pressing challenges.
So what’s the answer? How can policymakers and school leaders empower teachers to enhance student outcomes? The answers vary depending on who you ask. For most higher ed faculty, it’s increasing funding for education and providing better training and support for educators.
As for K12 teachers, the answer is unanimous: raise teacher pay.
“As education leaders in governments, at institutions and in our industry look to build solutions that will help students around the world succeed, it’s important that we listen to those individuals who are working with students every day and do all we can to help support and empower them,” said Allen.
