Youth mental health problems impact a student’s ability to learn, engage in school, and their overall wellbeing. Today’s students are struggling with mood changes, increased anxiety, poor attention, low motivation, and difficulty managing emotions, all of which puts students at risk of falling behind in school and developing more significant emotional and mental health challenges. 

"Mental health isn't just a checklist of conditions," shares Juliana Chen, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Cartwheel. "We see all too often that students are wrestling with layers of emotional and psychological pressures that extend far beyond traditional diagnostic labels. They need comprehensive support that sees them as whole individuals, not just a constellation of symptoms, and creates meaningful pathways to resilience, connection, and academic success."

Given that kids spend most of their days in the classroom, teachers and staff are often the first to notice when a student needs help—but without access to mental health support and an increase in need for services, school staff are limited in the assistance they can provide. 

Here are the top 3 ways that student mental health challenges are impacting school and student outcomes: 

1. Behavior Challenges and Social Media Addiction

One of the most direct ways mental health issues impact school life is through disciplinary problems. “You can’t educate a student until you can regulate them,” says Amy Anyanwu, Assistant Superintendent at Montgomery County Educational Service Center in Ohio. 

As schools transitioned from remote learning back to in-person instruction, many educators noticed significant changes in student behavior, including increased apathy, disrespect, defiance, and cell phone and social media addiction. 

Recent figures from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) show that 80% of school leaders feel that students’ socioemotional development is still negatively affected by the pandemic. After a pivot to online learning put digital devices front and center, 30% of schools now report weekly occurrences of cyberbullying, with 16% of schools saying students’ use of electronic devices had a negative impact on learning and teaching in the 2023-24 school year.

Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation, says that even when students don’t check their phones, the mere presence of a phone damages their ability to think. This is why he is advocating for phone free schools so kids can focus on their studies and interact with each other. 

2. The Growing Problem of Chronic Absenteeism and School Refusal

Chronic absenteeism has long been a concern for schools, but the COVID-19 pandemic amplified it. According to the U.S. Department of Education, students who miss 15 or more days of school each year are at serious risk of falling behind academically. Chronic absenteeism rates skyrocketed during the pandemic, jumping from 13% in 2017 to 28% in 2022, and remaining high at 26% through 2023, according to the American Enterprise Institute’s Return to Learn tracker.

“The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health issues among students like we haven’t seen before and it’s impacting everybody,” shared Dr. Marianne Vines, Director of Special Education for Bedford Public Schools, a Cartwheel district partner. “It really threw everybody for a loop and impacted students’ ability to access the curriculum. We definitely need help with issues like school refusal, absenteeism, things we have been working through to get students back on track.”

A precursor to chronic absenteeism is school refusal, which has clear ties to mental health problems. A 2022 study published in the journal Child Psychiatry & Human Development concluded that school refusal is often characterized by emotional distress, particularly around anxiety and depression. While official research is limited, the School Avoidance Alliance estimates 5% to 28% of students demonstrate significant school avoidance behaviors at some point in their lives.

Dr. Annette Coleman, Director of Community-Based Social Emotional Learning at Peoria Public Schools, explains the connection: “If we don’t have them in school, we can’t educate them.” She emphasizes that helping parents understand the importance of consistent school attendance, starting at a young age, is critical for building the skills needed to succeed both academically and socially.‍

3. Declining Academic Performance

The mental health crisis in schools is also closely tied to declining academic performance and graduation rates, which, according to the American Psychological Association, severely limits children’s chances of future success. Students dealing with mental health issues, particularly low self-esteem, struggle with motivation, task completion, and performance on tests. Anxiety and depression often interfere with a student’s ability to focus, concentrate, and engage with their coursework. 

“In order for our students to maximize their potential and realize their talents academically, we have to care for the social, emotional and mental health needs of our young people,” says Dr. Stephen Zrike, Superintendent at Salem Public Schools in Massachusetts.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, only 65.2% of students with emotional disorders (a category that includes mental health problems) exited the school system with a regular high school diploma in the 2020-21 school year, compared to the national average of 87%. These numbers are troubling, and they reflect a broader trend: mental health problems are one of the leading factors contributing to the national dropout rate. 

In 2021, at least 31 states saw a decline in graduation rates, according to EdWeek analysis of data from state education departments, further underscoring the need for schools to address the mental health needs of their students. Without adequate support, students with mental health challenges often fall further behind academically, resulting in disengagement from school and an increased risk of dropping out.

Why Schools Must Invest in Mental Health

Given these connections between mental health and academic success, it’s clear that schools must take an active role in supporting the mental health of their students. Mental health services in schools—whether through counselors, social workers, therapy, or other support systems—are essential for helping students manage their emotions, build resilience, and succeed academically.

In the four years to April 2024, $189 billion in relief was provided to elementary and secondary schools across the U.S., with $7.1 billion spent on much-needed mental health resources in 80% of school districts. U.S. Government data shows the three key areas of mental health-related spending were school-based staff, wraparound services and partnerships. 

Districts that continue to invest in multi-tiered systems of mental health support will see improved outcomes not only for students’ well-being but also for their academic performance and engagement in school. As schools continue to navigate the challenges of supporting students in a post-pandemic world, prioritizing mental health is more important than ever. See how districts are creating MTSS programs in our next article, Investing in Youth Mental Health. 

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