For schools to become safe and supportive learning environments where all students can learn and succeed, meaningful opportunities for students to (1) share with adults what they need in order to do well in school and (2) to participate meaningfully in decision making about their schools must be provided. Recently, TLPI convened a legislative briefing, Students Speak 2024: Humanizing Our School Communities to provide the opportunity for members of the Massachusetts Legislature to hear from secondary students from across the Commonwealth about what they need in order to do well in school and wh ..read more

This is the third in our series of blog posts, in which explore key takeaways from TLPI’s discussions with trauma-sensitive school leaders as they confront the challenges of yet a fourth pandemic school year. We appreciate their generosity in sharing with us their reflections on how the trauma lens informs their school’s response to the many challenges facing students, families, and educators. In this post, we note how trauma-sensitive school leaders focus on creating learning environments that are safe havens, where students are met “where they are” and supported as such to re-connect, to dev ..read more

Please join us for the Students Speak Legislative Briefing. This virtual briefing will take place on Wednesday, March 9th at 11:00am (EST) on Zoom. Register here. At the briefing, high school students from across the Commonwealth will share their perspectives on what they need in order to do well in school and why now is a critical moment to prioritize funding for Safe and Supportive Schools. Sen. Sal DiDomenico and Rep. Ruth Balser, along with the Education Committee co-chairs Sen. Jason Lewis and Rep. Alice Peisch, will co-sponsor the briefing and offer remarks. The post Join the Stude ..read more

Decisions about schooling are often made without input from those most affected– the students themselves– yet students are in the best position to understand what they need in order to do well in school. Over the course of the last three years, the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative (TLPI) has been working to amplify students’ voices so that decision makers understand what they need in order to do well in school. We are thrilled to share with you a new website, www.students-speak.org, that provides a platform that uplifts students’ voices and showcases their actions and advocacy to help cre ..read more

We are pleased to share that our team at the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative (TLPI) and the Education Law Clinic at Harvard Law School is currently accepting applications for a new Clinical Instructor. This is an attorney position that will focus on mentoring and supervising law students in Harvard’s clinical program. Please see the job description. We would greatly appreciate it if you could circulate this posting through your networks and also to any colleagues you know who might be interested. Folks should apply through the HLS website but can feel free to r ..read more

It is with heavy hearts that we share the incredibly sad news that Susan Cole, the Founder and Director of the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative has passed away. She died on Saturday, May 1, 2021, with her loving family by her side. During a career that spanned more than 30 years, Susan built a field and launched a movement that brings a critically important awareness to the need for trauma-sensitive schools where all students, including those who have been impacted by trauma, can succeed at their highest levels in school and in life. Prior to becoming an attorney, Susan was a special edu ..read more

The work of building Safe and Supportive Schools for all MA students continues to move forward. Earlier today, the FY22 House Ways and Means Budget was released, and it funds the Safe and Supportive Schools line item at $510,684! Additionally, the line item included provisions in the language that we have been advocating for regarding prioritizing student voice and incorporating training on the revised Safe and Supportive Schools Self-Assessment Tool into conferences and leadership summits. This critical funding, if included in the final budget, will support implementation of the Safe and Supp ..read more

Recognizing how hard this year has been on students, families, and educators For many students, families, and educators this year has been characterized by persistent feelings of being overwhelmed. These are expected reactions given this extraordinary set of circumstances we have all experienced. In recent meetings with high school students, many report feeling fatigued, disconnected, unmotivated and misunderstood, attributing these struggles to long hours on the computer screen and often a lack of meaningful connections to peers, adults and to structure.  Some comments: “I felt a little ..read more

We hope that despite the turbulence of the past few weeks at the national level, you are having a successful start to this New Year in your schools and districts. We write this month to share a recently published article with you. The January, 2021 edition of School Administrator, the American Association of School Administrators’ award-winning monthly magazine, features an article titled , Trauma Sensitivity in Early Learning, which describes the importance of safety, connection and the application of the trauma lens in early learning including the critical role of family engagement. Authored ..read more

For many of us, the holiday season provides an opportunity to reflect on the importance of our relationships and to focus on sustaining connection to our community. As the pandemic forces us to limit social contact, many have come to realize now more than ever, how important meaningful connections are.  For students, whether they are gathering in a classroom or connecting online, being part of a warm and welcoming school community is critical to their success: they must feel safe, valued and a sense of belonging. Supportive, responsive environments have tremendous benefits, including stre ..read more