A State Education Department paper argues that the scope of the unmet mental health needs of children is not sufficiently understood, nor have we recognized the relationship between these needs and poor school performance, incarceration and other bad outcomes. The Office of Mental Health has been a reliable partner in many ventures. The purpose of the discussion is to understand the barriers, policy issues, and opportunities before us. We completed the recent cycle of Regents visits to the Big Five school districts in April but action continues, as does the discussion before the Task Force and the Full Board. At the April meeting the Regents will examine current and proposed activities in pursuit of their strategies to close the performance gaps.
Several points are clear.
First, the State Education Department and the Big Five school districts are pursuing many strategies simultaneously. Some of this is already bearing fruit. For example, Yonkers has increased the numbers taking the Regents English exam by a factor of three over three years and doubled the number passing. Other Big Five districts are also showing gains. When we look back on this work, it won't be the scope or intensity that mattered but the results.