Mental Health In Our Classroom

Mental health is no longer a background concern in schools; it is a daily, urgent need affecting Chicago’s students, its educators, and its classrooms. In 2024 alone, more than 20% of youth experienced at least one major depressive episode, and more than half of those did not receive mental health treatment. Adults faced mental challenges at a similar rate, with 23% of adults experiencing mental illness in the past year. These mental health challenges not only affect well-being, but the academic and performance outcomes of teachers and students as well. Studies show that mental health challenges in early elementary are associated with academic underachievement in later elementary. In Chicago, over 40% of teachers were chronically absent* in 2024, citing mental health challenges such as high stress levels, burnout, and demanding workloads.

A growing body of research confirms a measurable relationship between teacher well-being and student mental health outcomes. When teachers report higher well-being, their students show better mental health indicators and well-being themselves. Similarly, when the mental health of educators suffers, so does the mental health of students. This relationship underscores the importance of supporting educator well-being as a foundational element in promoting student mental health.

In response to this crisis, Educators for Excellence-Chicago (E4E-Chicago), in partnership with Bellwether Education Partners, convened a group of CPS educators to form a Mental Health Teacher Action Team (TAT). This TAT came together as classroom teachers, support staff, and school leaders to answer a critical question: How can CPS better support student and educator mental health in a way that is sustainable, systemic, and equitable?

Through a multi-month process involving deep research, peer conversations, expert consultations, and collective analysis, the TAT developed actionable policy recommendations to help build the mental health infrastructure our school communities need. These solutions reflect the lived experience of CPS educators and are rooted in both urgency and optimism.

About the Teacher Action Team

In early 2024, a coalition of funders launched a citywide landscape analysis to assess the gap in Chicago’s school-based mental health workforce. As momentum grew, E4E-Chicago was identified as a trusted partner to lead the next phase of the work: engaging educators to shape tangible policy solutions. The Mental Health TAT began its work in Spring 2025. Teachers explored the mental health landscape, conducted peer listening sessions, and brainstormed solutions aligned with their experiences. The team prioritized two interconnected focus areas aligned to E4E’s Educator policy agenda: educator mental health and student mental health.