ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the inextricable connection between students' social and emotional development and their ability to learn. It argues that schools must broaden their perspective and their mission to accomplish the goal of educating all students and preparing them to function productively in society. The idea that schools need to "get back to basics" and focus simply on instruction in academic subjects reflects a naive view of schools and students. If schools are designs to meet the educational needs of their students, it follows that what schools need is directly linked to what students need. All public schools can expect to have some students with serious mental disorders, and large public schools can expect to have students with all of these mental disorders. Special education teachers often have aides to assist them, particularly in classrooms where students have disruptive behavior disorders and require close supervision.
