Engaging a Whole Child, School, and Community Lens in Positive Education to Advance Equity in Schools

Abstract

Recent decades of education policy, research, and practice have brought focus on a positive education approach as applied within tiered service delivery frameworks to meet diverse needs of varied intensities. Related, the science of implementation has begun to increase understanding of supports to strengthen use of a positive education approach within tiered service delivery frameworks. To date, the body of work has fostered important shifts in how problems are viewed and addressed using a positive lens, supporting more equitable opportunity in education. To realize the full potential, however, there is a need to integrate theory and science as embedded within a whole child, school, and community lens. We propose that positive education will advance equity when grounded in integrated theory and science across developmental systems theory, prevention science, ecological systems theory, and implementation science. We first provide a brief overview of schools as a context to serve as assets or risks to equity, followed by a discussion of theory and science using a whole child, whole school, and whole community lens. We end with directions for science and practice in advancing a positive education approach.

Expanding school wellness policies to encompass the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model

“…A second challenge facing schools is that they may lack the resources needed to add any new initiatives. Therefore, another opportunity for strengthening the integration of the WSCC model is to consider de-implementation ( 27 ). Schools need to balance their implementation efforts with available resources and select effective, efficient, and sustainable policies and practices.…”

“…Evaluating the potential for efficient, effective, and sustainable implementation before taking on new initiatives is critical ( 27 ). Key questions addressing implementation determinants include: Is there data indicating the need for this initiative?…”

“…To further support schools in the process of implementation, we have recently released the WSCC Policy Blueprint ( 27 ). The WSCC Policy Blueprint aims to support schools’ planful integration of the WSCC model into policy, including school wellness policies.…”

“…Multiple developmental pathways contribute to a child’s overall well-being, including academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and physical ( 1 ). The school setting provides a powerful opportunity to support a range of behaviors that promote student development ( 2 ).…”

Multi-Tiered Culturally Responsive Behavior Support: A Qualitative Study of Trauma-Informed Education in an Australian Primary School

“…Given the pervasive and chronic nature of the impact of ACEs in childhood, schools can be an important part of a multi-systemic, wraparound treatment approach. Drawing on ecological system theories (Bronfenbrenner, 1992;Cicchetti and Valentino, 2015), wraparound support refers to a community-based approach to providing comprehensive, integrated services through multiple professionals and agencies and in collaboration with families (Fallon and Mueller, 2017;Chafouleas and Iovino, 2021). highlight two important challenges in the implementation of such practices in school settings.…”