Investing in Success: Increased Support Can Improve Student Behavior and Outcomes

Overview

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In 2022, more than eight in ten schools surveyed nationwide reported increased behavioral and socioemotional challenges in their students following the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to behavioral issues and classroom disruptions, there has been a trend toward stricter student discipline policies in recent years across the country, including in West Virginia. These policies fail to address student misbehavior, increase the likelihood of poorer long-term outcomes for students, and contribute to disparities across student groups. To address the needs of students and reduce behavioral issues, policymakers need to prioritize upstream investments in student wellness and success through staffing of counselors, social workers, psychologists, and teachers. School districts across our state are currently operating far below recommended ratios for these essential positions—in large part due to an outdated school funding formula that does not allocate adequate funding for the requisite ratio of professional school support positions to ensure students have the resources they need. Prevention-based and restorative practices have been shown to reduce behavioral issues among students while improving short- and long-term student outcomes. The impact of this approach was evidenced by the ESSER-funded investments into student support, which are expected to yield nearly $1.4 billion in student lifetime earnings.

Key Findings

• Punishment for minor behavioral incidents increased following the implementation of House Bill 2890, legislation aimed at addressing student behavior. In the 2023-24 school year, low-level behavioral incidents increased and made up a larger share of overall incidents while serious incidents stayed largely level.
• Low-level behaviors made up about 80 in 100 incidents last school year while very serious behaviors only made up 1 in 100.
• Supportive interventions were used less than two percent of the time in response to behavioral incidents.
• Students with disabilities are only about 20 percent of the student population but account for over 40 percent of last school year’s out-of-school suspensions.
• West Virginia could achieve the requisite ratio for professional student support staff for just $120 million per year or half the projected cost of the Hope Scholarship expansion.

Read the full fact sheet.