Schools have an important role to play in adolescent suicide prevention. This article describes universal screenings for depression and suicidality as one component of the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program in middle and high schools following the suicide death of a student in the past few years. Of the students screened (N = 7,429), 11.0 percent of…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a Tier 2 classroom-based motivational interviewing (MI) intervention--the Aspire Group Intervention (AGI)--designed for ninth-grade students identified as being at high risk for school dropout. The nine-lesson AGI curriculum was…

Although students must successfully navigate transition years in school in pursuit of sustained academic success, not enough is known about the context-linked experiences of African American male adolescents as they seek to traverse their senior year, one of the most important pivotal points in time for all students. This study examined the…

High school dropout remains a persistent educational and social problem in the United States, despite promising declines in dropout rates. Social workers are uniquely positioned to identify and address numerous factors influencing students' likelihood of graduating. The purpose of this small qualitative study was to describe social workers'…

Rural schools face unique challenges that affect student academic success or failure. Youths served in rural settings experience barriers to learning that negatively influence their achievement and developmental outcomes. To improve outcomes for rural youths, it is important for schools to understand overall school experiences so that school-wide…

Children with mental health disorders are at elevated risk of deleterious academic outcomes. The school, acting as a bridge between home and community, is a key site for identification and intervention with children experiencing mental health distress. Yet survey research has indicated that many teachers and other school staff have limited…

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of school violence on recent alcohol use and episodic heavy drinking among seventh- through 12th-grade students. A total of 54,631 students completed a survey assessing substance use and other risky behaviors. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the research questions. Results…

Strong connections to school and positive student-teacher relationships offer numerous social, emotional, and academic benefits for youths. Unfortunately, sexual minority youths (SMY) are at risk for disparate school connectedness and student-teacher relationship experiences compared with their peers. Using the National Longitudinal Study of…

Many school-age children in the United States with social, emotional, and behavioral problems do not receive mental health services. These problems negatively affect their social and behavioral functioning and academic achievement. This is particularly a problem for Latino youths, who represent the largest ethnic minority group in the United…

Adolescents becoming formally involved with a juvenile court because of school-related behavior and discipline problems is a phenomenon known as the school-to-prison pipeline. Adolescents with learning disabilities are disproportionately represented within this pipeline. A study was conducted to review the outcomes for a population of youthful…

School social workers are at the forefront of serving homeless children and youths as they pursue education. Because of the negative impact homelessness can have on academic outcomes for children, understanding what factors are perceived to either hinder or facilitate practice and what factors might influence perceptions of practice with this…

Research consistently demonstrates that youths who experience maltreatment are at greater risk for committing delinquent behavior. Yet little is known about how to disrupt this maltreatment-delinquency relationship. Life course theory suggests that youths who bond with prosocial individuals and traditional institutions subscribe to prosocial norms…

Despite our knowledge of poor educational outcomes for youths in foster care, the literature on methods or models for addressing the needs of this vulnerable group of students remains extremely limited. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to describe a school-based educational support model that provides advocacy, tutoring, and…

The profession of school social work began in 1906 but was not recognized in federal legislation for students with disabilities until nearly 70 years later. However, since 1906, school social workers have worked with students considered at-risk for academic failure, including students with disabilities. This article highlights the beginning of the…

The school dropout rate in America is too high, especially for low-income students and those from nondominant racial or ethnic groups. For many students, the social-psychological and behavioral disengagement from school that leads to dropping out often begins in middle school. Research on early adolescents confirms that increasing the perceived…