ABSTRACT

“Strengths-based approaches for assessing student well-being” is a best practice policy that highlights how schools can focus on the assessment of student strengths and assets to build upon core social-emotional competencies that are foundational for educational success. Following a public health perspective for assessing well-being, a comprehensive, team-oriented, strengths-based approach should be considered. Ideally, this approach is implemented collaboratively, with input from stakeholders committed to incorporating comprehensive well-being indicators in the assessment process. Outcome data should be linked with tiered levels of supports related to positive psychological interventions that boost well-being of all students. The inclusion of standardized assessments of youth strengths provides critical information regarding assets and resiliency factors that should be intentionally incorporated into service planning. This is important, especially for students with or at risk for disabilities or diagnoses stemming from traditional deficit-based approaches assessing risks and symptoms. A strengths-based approach to assessment is necessary for use with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and youth with long-standing histories of discriminatory referral and assessment practices. Schools can use this policy in conjunction with others to begin dismantling unjust assessment practices leading to disproportionate representation of BIPOC youth in exclusionary settings and underrepresentation in gifted and accelerated programs. This policy is intentionally broad and school policy creators are encouraged to delete and build upon suggestions below to create a policy that best represents their school.