State of Student Wellness 2021

Prepared in partnership with the California Association of School Counselors, the American Civil Liberty Union of Southern California and the CSU Center to Close the Opportunity Gap

Student mental health is highly connected to student success and well-being. The purpose of the State of Student Wellness survey was to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift between in-person, online and hybrid models of learning has impacted students. Furthermore, we were interested in understanding the types of wellness supports students had received during the pandemic, their current needs and their thoughts regarding the return to in-person instruction. Two surveys were administered in April 2020 and April 2021 and represent responses from over 1,200 students from 25 counties and 50 school districts from across California.  Main findings from the survey indicate students have experienced a host of mental health issues, including but not limited to an increase in social anxiety, panic attacks, body image issues, depressive symptoms, self-harm, and suicidal ideation.