Technical, Normative, and Political Factors for Equity-Minded School Mental Health Policy Change

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 5:10 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Analysis and Perspectives on Education Policy for Equity (Table 13)

Abstract

This paper examines the complex interplay of technical, normative, and political factors influencing equity-minded school mental health policy change in one large urban district. It investigates how these factors shape the "zone of mediation"—the contextual space necessary for implementing equitable mental health policies within the district. Through interviews with six key informants, the study reveals that while the district’s policy context has affordances, such as increased funding and community focus on youth, notable constraints persist, including staffing shortages and an expectation for schools to solve problems caused by social policy. The findings underscore that normative and political forces critically shape the feasibility of equity-minded reforms, highlighting the challenges of equity-minded policy change in the current social and political context.

Author

• Kate Somerville, University of Virginia