Student Mental Health in Christian Schools: Challenges and Responses

By: David Harding

A Pressing Concern

When educators at a Christian school I consulted recently began to observe that one of their students, Elizabeth, appeared to be increasingly anxious and withdrawn, they did not simply identify the situation as a behavioral issue. Instead, they convened a meeting, bringing together her teachers, parents, and administrators around a single table. "We gather everyone together," one school leader explained. “The goal isn’t to point fingers, but to talk honestly about Elizabeth’s needs. Then we ask, ‘which of these can we meet, and which need support outside the school?’”

This exemplifies how many Christian educators today are addressing a growing reality: students are facing emotional and spiritual challenges at unprecedented levels, and schools are adapting to care for them not only as learners but as whole individuals created in God’s likeness (Genesis 1:27).

To gain further insight into how various schools are responding to this widespread issue, I engaged in conversations with teachers, counselors, and administrators at high schools in several states.

Christian educators are raising a warning that must not be overlooked: student mental health is, as some leaders put it, in a state of crisis. From kindergarten classrooms to seniors on the verge of graduation, school leaders are reporting unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and emotional distress among children and adolescents.

Published research backs this up: a recent Northwestern Medicine survey analysis, published by JAMA Pediatrics, revealed that the percentage of children and adolescents experiencing anxiety and depression rose between 2016 and 2022. Notably, the percentage of children and adolescents with anxiety rose from 7.1% in 2016 to 10.6% in 2022, while rates of depression increased from 3.2% to 4.6% over the same period.

“My caseload is incredibly high,” one elementary counselor shared with me. “Anxious kids. And they’re actually using that word. So how much do they understand that? I don’t know, but it’s there.”

Many school leaders trace the roots of this growing distress to multiple sources—phones, an always-connected digital culture and social media, shifting family dynamics, and the long shadow of COVID-19. The pandemic didn’t create the problem, but it seemed to accelerate it.

Rising Mental Health Challenges

Educators say emotional strain is showing up at younger and younger ages. Preschool and elementary teachers describe students who freeze during group activities or melt down under small frustrations.

“We’re seeing more students struggling, having difficulty in larger social settings,” one administrator said. “Even a larger chapel, a larger assembly, awards nights—kids with lack of confidence, self-awareness, the noise, all those things.”

Speech delays are also on the rise. “The number of students with speech-related service plans is through the roof,” one leader explained. “We don’t have a speech pathologist on staff, so some parents must get private therapy just for their child to attend school.”

Minor discipline issues seem to have spiked, as well. “Little scuffles on the playground that kids once resolved on their own now require adult intervention,” another administrator observed.

Behind much of it, educators say, is the smartphone. “We would talk about anxiety, fear of missing out, phones,” one principal reflected. “Emotional health in Christian spaces can kind of become a thing of ‘keep it private,’ but we knew we had to address it.”

Creative School-Based Solutions

In response, schools are adapting with creativity and conviction.

Some have adopted research-based curricula such as Yale’s RULER program, which gives students emotional vocabulary and seeks to improve their emotional intelligence. “We tried to give a breadth of emotion words,” one administrator said. “It worked especially well at the elementary level.”

Others focus on human connection over curriculum. At one large California Christian school, leaders created student liaison positions—staff members dedicated to mentoring and pastoral care rather than discipline.

“They’re a resource for the family, not just the school,” a head administrator explained. “Sometimes a kid just needs someone to say, ‘Hey, you weren’t paying attention in class. What’s going on?’”

Peer-to-peer mentoring is also thriving. “The things students will tell an 11th grader or 12th grader are different than what they’d tell their teacher, parent, or even pastor,” a principal shared. “When they hear it from peers, it means 100 times more than from us.”

Still, access to professional counseling remains a challenge. “When a family calls to get a counseling appointment, it can take months,” said an administrator from Hawaii. “That’s the reality we’re living in.”

In many schools, that reality is prompting new partnerships with local churches and Christian counseling centers in an attempt to bring holistic care to the whole family.

The Role of Parents

Everyone I talked to echoed the same belief: parents remain the primary influence in a child’s mental and spiritual life.

“God never intended parents to abdicate their responsibilities to schools,” one head of school said. “If you help the family, you heal the whole family.”

Many schools now provide intentional parent education through workshops, discussions, and book studies.

At one Christian school, parents gather for Parent Café, a monthly conversation over coffee on topics such as anxiety, boundaries, and faith in the home. Another school hosts family book studies using Andy Crouch’s “The Tech-Wise Family.”

“We’d go through a chapter a week,” one leader said. “It wasn’t about lecturing—it was about facilitating honest conversations.”

Still, parental anxiety adds its own layer. “We’re seeing more helicopter parents,” another administrator observed. “They show anxiety about their child’s safety, and that gets passed directly to their kids.”

Technology and Phones

Technology remains one of the most persistent—and paradoxical—issues.

While digital devices enhance learning and connection, they also drive comparison and dependence. “Technology is a double-edged sword,” one teacher said. “It can be a tool for learning or a trap for insecurity.”

Data from the 2021–2023 NHIS-Teen survey—which gathers self-reported health information from teens ages 12–17 and pairs it with parent-reported data such as family income—was used to examine the impact of high daily non-school screen time (4+ hours). The study found that teens with higher screen use were significantly more likely to report a range of negative health outcomes, including lower levels of physical activity and strength training, poor sleep habits, weight concerns, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and reduced social, emotional, and peer support.

In response to observations indicating negative ramifications of phone usage, many Christian schools are setting clear boundaries. “At the elementary, we don’t allow phones—zip, zero, zilch,” one administrator said. “Middle school allows phones before and after school. High school leaves it up to the teacher.”

Some schools use GoGuardian or similar software to monitor activity. “It actually caught a middle school girl struggling with suicidal thoughts,” one administrator shared. “That alert may have saved her life.”

Guest speakers, digital citizenship courses, and online safety presentations are becoming part of the new normal. As one principal put it:

“We want our students to know technology is not evil—but it makes a terrible master.”

Christian School Distinctives

What distinguishes Christian schools is not just their academics but their spiritual lens. Faith provides a framework that redefines how they address behavior, belonging, and purpose.

Many are shifting from a discipline mindset to one of discipleship.

“Most schools use discipline guides without discipleship,” said one leader. “We decided—how about discipling before they do something that requires punishment?”

This model sees behavior issues not as disruptions but as discipleship opportunities. “Our goal is not to produce compliant students,” another administrator said. “It’s to form Christlike character—to help them learn repentance, forgiveness, and resilience.”

The same philosophy applies to teachers. “Not every teacher is wired to mentor,” one leader admitted. “I hire people to teach physics, and that’s okay. But some are gifted at counseling and influencing kids. We try to put people where they’ll thrive.”

Ultimately, Christian schools want students to anchor their identity in Christ rather than in performance, popularity, or online approval.

“Our mission is in partnership with home and local church,” one principal explained. “We want kids to see their value in Christ, not just their grades or achievements.”

Barriers and Needs

Even with strong theology and good intentions, limited resources remain the biggest obstacle.

“We are vying for more counselors because of the uptick in need,” one administrator said. “We have the heart, but not always the resources.”

Many schools rely on part-time staff or shared counselors. Waitlists for outside therapy can stretch for months. Rural schools often have no local providers at all.

Teacher training is another critical need. “It’s not one more thing to add—it has to be built into how we teach and interact with students every day,” said one leader.

“Addressing mental health is a form of discipleship,” a school counselor told me. “It’s part of loving our students well.”

Looking Ahead

According to Dr. Rian Djita, ACSI’s Director of Research, “We found that, over the years, there has been a growing concern about mental health among students and Christian educators. Unfortunately, this is still something that can be considered ‘taboo’ as it largely goes unaddressed in Christian school settings. Mental health is then treated as a private matter, limiting access to much comprehensive community support.”

But student mental health is now a defining issue for education—public, private, and Christian alike. “It’s certainly at the top,” one administrator confirmed. “If we don’t make another step forward, I feel like we’re easing our way backward.”

Still, there is hope. Christian educators see this moment not merely as a crisis, but as a calling—to build communities where students feel seen, known, and loved.

“Why discipline them if you’re not going to try to prevent it?” one leader asked. “We want to help them grow, not just punish them when they cross the line.”

That vision—prevention through discipleship—captures the heart of Christian education for the school leaders I spoke with as they address this issue, one that isn’t going away anytime soon. Schools, homes, and churches working together can help students rediscover peace in a restless age.

And as these educators are reminding the next generation, healing and identity are found not in performance, perfection, or social media, but in the steady, unchanging love of Christ.