Beyond PISA: Schools as Contexts for the Promotion of Children’s Mental Health and Well-Being

Over the past couple of decades, the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) has gained an increasing role in shaping educational systems and policies across the world. PISA’s measurement of a limited range of cognitive abilities across cultures, however, promotes a narrow view of education, one that focuses primarily on preparing students for the economic market. This paper argues for a broader educational agenda—namely the formation of academically, socially, and emotionally literate young people who have the skills and emotional resilience necessary to navigate the uncertain of modern life. In addition, the role schools may have in promoting the well-being of children and young people is discussed, positioning the classroom teacher as an effective and caring educator in both academic and social and emotional learning. The paper proposes a multilevel, whole school, and school-based approach to social and emotional education. The final section discusses the role of school psychologists in the implementation of this framework, particularly at the universal, preventive level.