March 20, 2024
The Jed Foundation (JED) and AASA, The School Superintendents Association, announce the selection of 15 school districts to participate in the District Comprehensive Approach (DCA) pilot, a transformational program that guides districts in improving systems of support for pre-K-12 students’ emotional well-being. Inaugural district cohort members will be at the forefront of learning and leading powerful mental health and suicide prevention practices that will benefit both staff and students.
In addition to powerful professional learning experiences, program participants will receive a written locally developed district strategic plan to serve as a roadmap for building comprehensive student mental health and suicide prevention programming. All participating districts will also receive two years of technical assistance from JED experts as they implement their plans to enhance systems of support to create first-class school mental health systems.
In just its first year, the inaugural DCA cohort class of 2024 will serve more than 356,000 students from 480 schools across 14 states. The full list of school districts includes:
Chandler Unified School District (Chandler, Arizona)
Fargo Public Schools (Fargo, North Dakota)
Hardin Public Schools (Hardin, Montana)
Harford County Public Schools (Bel Air, Maryland)
Kuspuk School District (Aniak, Alaska)
Laurens County School District 55 (Laurens, South Carolina)
Minnetonka Public Schools 276 (Minnetonka, Minnesota)
Montgomery County Public Schools (Rockville, Maryland)
San Ramon Valley Unified School District (Danville, California)
Scarsdale Public Schools (Scarsdale, New York)
Silvis School District (East Moline, Illinois)
Stafford County Public Schools (Stafford, Virginia)
Summit Academy North (Romulus, Michigan)
Vineland Public Schools (Vineland, New Jersey)
Washington Local Schools (Toledo, Ohio)
The cohort's first official convening is slated for March 20-21, 2024. Participating school districts will join several virtual workshops, led by JED’s experts and AASA’s educational leaders, to outline the DCA program. The sessions are packed with a combination of learning, connection, and actionable insights education leaders will bring back to their districts. Topics will include district readiness for mental health systems change, an overview of the DCA self-assessment, perspectives from a high school student, and the impacts of social media, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality on student mental health.
“School leaders know that getting in front of the youth mental health crisis requires thinking far beyond one-size-fits-all approaches,” says David R. Schuler, executive director at AASA. “That’s why we’re partnering with JED to launch a comprehensive, transformative, and scalable district-wide approach that is designed to meet this urgent need. This initiative will provide an evidence-based framework combined with the expert support, best practices, and data-driven guidance our students, families, staff, and caregivers deserve.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 42% of high school
students reported feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year. This rate has grown significantly for female students from 36% in 2011 to 57% in 2021. Meantime, suicide continues to be the second leading cause of death for 10- to 34-year-olds, following accidents. In recent years, suicides among younger children, ages 5 to 11 in elementary schools, have increased by 15% per year.
“The District Comprehensive Approach by JED in partnership with AASA is a milestone moment marking the start of systemic and structural change for youth mental health and suicide prevention across the public education system,” says Tony Walker, senior vice president of academic programs at JED. “This first group of district cohort participants are true trailblazers, reinventing how schools help students — and their mental health — thrive, not just in their hometown, but now, nationwide.”
In April 2023, JED and AASA formed an exclusive partnership to develop and deploy the District Comprehensive Approach program, together, providing pre-K–12 school districts across the nation with an evidence-based framework — combined with expert support, best practices, and data-driven guidance — to protect mental health and prevent suicide for millions of students. This collaboration combines JED’s 25 years of experience protecting emotional health and preventing suicide for more than 1,200 schools, districts, and campuses with AASA’s 150-year commitment to serving public education and school district leadership. The creation of the DCA establishes and exemplifies the significance school district leaders are placing on their students’ emotional health.
For more information on the DCA program, participation, and the AASA Leadership Network, visit JED’s website.
About The Jed Foundation (JED)
JED is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. We’re partnering with high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. We’re equipping teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. We’re encouraging community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health. Connect with JED! Email | X (formerly Twitter) | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | Snapchat | Pinterest | TikTok
About AASA, The School Superintendents Association
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.