Addressing trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in schools
Key takeaways
- Three out of four U.S. high school students reported at least one adverse childhood experience in the CDC's 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, making trauma-informed practices in schools a systemic priority, not a niche concern.
- SAMHSA's framework identifies safety, trustworthiness, peer support, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural responsiveness as six core principles that guide a whole-school approach.
- Secondary traumatic stress is a recognized occupational hazard for educators working with traumatized students, making staff well-being central to any school-wide strategy.
A student arrives at class withdrawn, snaps at a peer over a minor issue, and refuses to open their workbook. To an untrained eye, it seems like defiance. But to an educator who's received training in trauma-informed practices in schools, it appears to be a matter of survival.
Reframing the situation from "what's wrong with this student?" to "what has this student experienced?" is where trauma-informed education begins.
For school leaders, counselors, and educators, understanding both the science and the practical steps behind the trauma-informed approach can make a meaningful difference in how students experience school every day.
What are trauma-informed practices, and why do they matter?
Trauma-informed practices in schools take a whole-organization approach that recognizes the prevalence of trauma, identifies its signs, and implements policies and practices that support students without causing additional harm.
The scale of need makes this work urgent.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, three out of four U.S. high school students reported at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), and nearly one in five reported four or more.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) emphasizes understanding the widespread impact of trauma, recognizing its signs and symptoms, responding by applying that knowledge in practice, and avoiding re-traumatization.
The six principles that define what that response looks like day to day are:
- Safety
- Trustworthiness and transparency
- Peer support
- Collaboration and mutuality
- Empowerment, voice, and choice
- Cultural, historical, and gender considerations
Understanding adverse childhood experiences in education means recognizing that these principles aren't abstract values.
Instead, they're the conditions that determine whether a student feels safe enough to learn. When a school's culture, discipline practices, and relational norms reflect these principles, it sends a signal that every student's experience matters.
“Interpreting challenging behavior through a trauma-informed lens means shifting from ‘What’s wrong with this student?’ to ‘What might this student be experiencing?’ Behaviors that appear defiant or disruptive are often adaptive responses to stress, unmet needs, or past trauma. When educators and clinicians respond with curiosity, predictability, and empathy—rather than punishment—they create a sense of safety that allows students to regulate, build trust, and re-engage in learning.”
-Ryan Kelly, LCSW
How do adverse childhood experiences affect learning and behavior?
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) don’t just shape what students go through outside of school. They can directly affect how students think, feel, and behave in the classroom.
According to the CDC, ACEs are potentially traumatic events occurring in childhood, covering ages 0 through 17, including abuse, neglect, witnessing violence, and household challenges that undermine a child's safety, stability, and bonding.
These effects often show up across several areas:
- Cognitive: Difficulty with attention, memory, and problem-solving, which can make it harder to keep up with lessons or follow instructions.
- Social-emotional: Challenges with emotional regulation, trust, and forming relationships with peers and adults.
- Behavioral: Increased likelihood of withdrawal, irritability, or reactions that may be misunderstood as defiance.
- Health-related: Higher risk of sleep issues, headaches, and other physical symptoms that can affect attendance and focus.
The CDC also emphasizes that adverse childhood experiences in education don't fall evenly. Some groups face higher ACE exposure due to differences in social and economic environments, which means the students who face the most barriers are often carrying the heaviest loads.
Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child explains that developmentally, ACEs can lead to toxic stress, defined as excessive or prolonged activation of stress response systems, which can disrupt a developing brain's architecture. However, it further indicates that supportive relationships with caring adults can buffer those stress responses.
“When a child is living in a state of chronic stress, their brain is focused on survival—not learning. Before we can expect attention, memory, or problem-solving, we have to create environments where students feel safe, connected, and regulated. Learning isn’t just an academic process—it’s a neurological one, and safety is the foundation that makes it possible.”
- Ryan Kelly, LCSW
How can we create a trauma-sensitive school culture?
Creating a trauma-sensitive school culture starts with leadership commitment and a shared understanding across staff. It requires more than individual classroom strategies. It involves aligning policies, practices, and relationships across the entire school.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) notes that schools are key settings where trauma reactions can significantly interfere with learning and behavior. It offers a systems framework specifically designed for school-wide planning that addresses culture, policy, staff support, and family engagement together.
This framework treats trauma-sensitive work as something schools build over time through an ongoing process, not something solved with a single training event.
Schools can begin with a practical checklist:
- Conduct safety audits of physical and emotional environments
- Review discipline policies to reduce re-traumatization
- Create structured ways for family input and partnership
- Provide ongoing staff training on trauma awareness
- Build a cross-functional leadership team to guide implementation
A structured culture review can also examine key areas:
This kind of whole-school approach helps ensure trauma-informed practices are consistent, sustainable, and embedded in everyday operations.
For leaders beginning this process, Talkspace's resource on becoming a trauma-informed leader offers a practical entry point.
Which classroom strategies support students with trauma histories?
Trauma-informed practices in schools often show up in small, consistent classroom actions that help students feel safe and supported.
CASEL's social-emotional learning (SEL) framework describes coordinated approaches that help create supportive classroom and school climates, build adults' SEL skills, and strengthen authentic partnerships with families and communities.
While SEL isn't a trauma intervention on its own, a predictable, relationship-focused classroom climate can help students with trauma histories feel safer and more supported.
The following table outlines practical approaches for various strategies:
A meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found improvements in anxiety and depression outcomes from universal school-based mental health programs, suggesting that even small adjustments can make a meaningful difference in how students experience the classroom.
How can educators care for themselves while caring for students?
Sustaining trauma-informed practices in schools over time also depends on the well-being of the adults who carry them out.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) identifies secondary traumatic stress (STS) as the emotional strain that can develop when professionals work closely with people who have experienced trauma, which is a recognized occupational hazard in child-serving fields.
Organizational factors such as high caseloads, isolation, and inadequate training can increase risk. School leaders can address this risk through structural supports, instead of just providing informal encouragement.
Approaches grounded in the NCTSN's guidance include:
- Regular reflective supervision and peer consultation for staff working with high-need students
- Manageable caseloads and clear workload boundaries for counselors and support staff
- Acknowledgment from leadership that emotional labor is a real part of the job
- Professional development that includes STS awareness alongside student-facing strategies
Educators can also use a simple daily self-check.
5-minute self-check template:
- What am I feeling right now?
- What felt most challenging today?
- What helped, even in a small way?
- What do I need before the next class or tomorrow?
Including staff well-being in school-based mental health programs, rather than treating it as secondary, helps support the people who make this work possible.
How Talkspace helps address trauma and adverse childhood experiences
Schools asking educators and staff to show up with empathy, consistency, and patience owe those same people real support. Trauma-informed work is emotionally demanding, and the adults doing it need access to quality mental health care, not just a once-a-year reminder to practice self-care.
Talkspace partners with school districts and education organizations to provide staff with access to licensed therapists and psychiatric providers through a flexible, virtual platform. Message-based therapy, live video sessions, and asynchronous options allow educators to access care around unpredictable school-day schedules.
When staff have their own mental health needs met, trauma-informed practices in schools are more likely to be consistent, sustainable, and truly felt by students. That kind of support is what makes the classroom-level work possible.
Schedule a demo and learn how Talkspace can support your school's staff wellness program.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first step to becoming a trauma-informed school?
The first step to becoming a trauma-informed school is to build awareness among staff about how common trauma is and how it can affect students’ behavior and learning. This includes training educators to recognize signs of trauma and understand its impact on emotional and academic development.
Are trauma-informed practices compatible with academic rigor?
Yes. Trauma-informed practices are compatible with academic rigor because they create a supportive learning environment that helps students regulate emotions, focus better, and engage more fully in challenging coursework. By addressing barriers caused by trauma, schools can maintain high expectations while promoting equity and student well-being.
How can families be involved in trauma-informed approaches?
Schools can involve families through consistent communication, feedback opportunities, and participation in planning. Partnering with caregivers helps create more aligned and supportive environments for students.
Do these practices replace existing behavior policies?
Trauma-informed practices don’t replace behavior policies; they shape how schools apply them so responses are consistent, supportive, and less likely to retraumatize a student who’s already stressed. The goal is still accountability and safety, but with more attention to triggers, de-escalation, and repair.
Where can schools find funding for staff training?
Funding sources vary by state and district, so school leaders should consult their state education agency to identify grant opportunities and flexible funds for professional development and school climate improvement. Some federal programs supporting student mental health may also offer relevant options.
Sources
- Swedo EA, Pampati S, Anderson KN, et al. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Conditions and Risk Behaviors Among High School Students — Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2023. CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/su/su7304a5.htm 2024;73(Suppl-4):39–49. Accessed March 17, 2026.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Trauma-Informed Approaches and Programs. SAMHSA https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/trauma-violence/trauma-informed-approaches-programs. Last Updated 2026 February 8. Accessed March 17, 2026.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Adverse Childhood Experiences. https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html CDC. Accessed March 17, 2026.
- Harvard University, Center on the Developing Child. Toxic Stress. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/toxic-stress/. Accessed March 17, 2026.
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Schools Committee. Creating, supporting, and sustaining trauma-informed schools: A system framework. National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//creating_supporting_sustaining_trauma_informed_schools_a_systems_framework.pdf. 2017. Accessed March 17, 2026.
- CASEL. What Is the CASEL Framework? https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-is-the-casel-framework/. Accessed March 17, 2026.
- Hayes D, Deniz E, Nisbet K, et al. Universal, school-based, interventions to improve emotional outcomes in children and young people: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12171270/. 2025 Jun 2;4:1526840. Accessed March 17, 2026.
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Schools Committee. Trauma-informed care, Secondary traumatic stress, Introduction. https://www.nctsn.org/trauma-informed-care/secondary-traumatic-stress/introduction. Accessed March 17, 2026
