Key points:
- Shifts are small, but meaningful for students’ well-being
- The untaught lesson: Prioritizing behavior as essential learning
- Mental health screeners help ID hidden needs, research finds
- For more news on student well-being, visit eSN’s SEL & Well-Being hub
The dominant narrative around today’s students is bleak: declining test scores, post-pandemic learning loss, and widespread concerns about student behavior and mental health. But a closer look at federal education and health data suggests a more nuanced–and hopeful–story is unfolding in schools across the country.
VocoVision, a provider of online school-based therapy staffing solutions, analyzed pre-pandemic data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Center for Education Statistics to show that while academic recovery remains uneven, students today are making measurable progress in areas tied to well-being, social development, and school engagement.
“These shifts may seem small, but they’re meaningful,” said Jessica Marlow, VocoVision’s senior vice president. “They point to students developing stronger interpersonal skills, like empathy, self-control, and awareness of others, that don’t always show up on standardized tests but are critical for long-term success.”
According to the analysis, students are trending positively in four key areas:
1. Improvements in behavior and peer relationships
Between the 2018-19 and 2023-24 school years, fewer students reported involvement in bullying–either as perpetrators or victims. The percentage of children ages 6-17 who never bullied others rose from 80 percent to 85.3 percent, while those who reported never being bullied increased from 52.5 percent to 60.8 percent.
2. Physical activity and engagement outside the classroom are trending up
Data also shows encouraging movement in students’ physical activity and extracurricular involvement. Participation in sports teams or lessons increased from 56.1 percent in 2018-19 to 57.6 percent in 2023-24, while a growing share of students reported being physically active for at least 60 minutes on most days of the week.
At the same time, the percentage of children who have not been identified as overweight rose slightly, signaling incremental improvements in overall health.
3. Fewer students repeating grades–and more graduating on time
Despite widespread concern about learning gaps, federal data shows that fewer students are repeating grades. The percentage of children who have not repeated a grade since starting kindergarten increased from 93.6 percent to 94.6 percent.
High school graduation rates have also edged upward. The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate for public high schools rose from 86 percent in 2018-19 to 87 percent in the most recent data available, while the share of students not graduating on time declined.
4. Beyond the data: Educators are seeing growth in empathy and curiosity
While not every positive trend is easily quantified, educators and school mental health professionals report noticeable shifts in how students relate to one another and to learning itself.
“We’re seeing more students express empathy, ask thoughtful questions, and show curiosity about topics that genuinely interest them,” Marlow noted. “Many students are more open about their feelings and more willing to seek help, a critical step in building resilience.”
Supporting the whole student
By expanding access to mental health and therapy services, schools reinforce the very trends reflected in the data: stronger social-emotional skills, healthier peer relationships, and increased student confidence and engagement.
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