Educating the whole child is an approach that recognizes the connection between students’ social, emotional, and physical health and academic development, focusing on early childhood and elementary education. Implementing evidence-based whole child strategies and shifting to a systematic approach to policymaking to support every child has far-reaching implications for the education system. For students to thrive academically, New Mexico’s policymakers must ensure all students have access to safe and welcoming learning environments and positive experiences in and out of school.
The Legislature has begun to respond to recent developments in the learning sciences on how to best support student learning, but more opportunities remain to ensure all students feel a sense of belonging at school. LESC monitors student outcomes and implementation of programs and services by the Public Education Department as well as school districts and charter schools and recommends statutory changes to ensure all students have access to education that holistically meets their academic, social, and emotional needs.