Background: Very few studies have properly identified how peer victimization is associated with lower achievement in middle or high school. In this context, this study examined how peer victimization at the beginning of middle school is linked with subsequent student achievement. Specifically, it assessed if the behavioral, affective, and…

Background: COVID-19-disrupted schools, including shifts to virtual learning which may have impacted academic progress. This study assessed characteristics associated with changes in academic grades (before and during the pandemic) for different learning modalities for US students ages 13-19. Methods: Students (N = 2152) completed a web survey on…

Background: Food insecurity is characterized by limited access to adequate food due to a lack of money or resources (eg, lack of transportation to obtain food). School aged children who are experiencing food insecurity are at greater risk for poor academic outcomes, but previous studies have not examined the effects of food insecurity on specific…

Background: Preventing student academic failure is crucial to student health and life success. Previous studies suggest a positive school climate may reduce students' risk for academic failure and contribute to academic success. The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal associations between school climate and academic grades in a…

Background: The conceptual framework for "School as a Protective Factor" approach was presented in a companion article in this issue of the journal. The current article describes the validation of the "School as a Protective Factor-Brief (SPF-Brief)," a 13-item survey measuring the 3 core constructs and 13 defining…

Background: Students with chronic absences tend to struggle academically and may not benefit fully from all school has to offer. A positive school climate has been shown to reduce absenteeism and promote academic success. In this study, we explored how a positive school climate and high satisfaction with school may influence absences and academic…

Background: Child well-being, which includes physical, mental, and social health, has a critical effect on academic performance. Schools face many challenges in meeting needs for child well-being. Schools in low-resource areas, including the Mississippi Delta, face greater challenges when meeting student needs. Methods: Eleven focus groups with…

Background: Little is known about how school breakfast programs are associated with school attendance and academic performance. This study evaluated Dallas Independent School District's (DISD) breakfast after the bell (BATB) program that provides breakfast for both habitually tardy and non-tardy students on (1) academic performance and (2) student…

Background: The association between early childhood psychosocial problems and poorer educational outcomes is well-documented, but the extent to which this association persists is less understood. The current study assessed the correlations between first-grade psychosocial functioning and educational outcomes through eighth grade in a large…

Background: Emergent evidence suggests a positive school climate may be a promising population-level intervention to promote academic achievement and student well-being. However, researchers have called for expanding the school climate evidence-base to better describe how the construct is associated with student outcomes. The purpose of this study…

Background: Studies have examined relationships between teacher characteristics and student achievement in courses such as math and science. This study is among the first to examine effects of teacher characteristics on student knowledge in a health course. Methods: Student (N = 6143) pretest and posttest data were linked to teacher (N = 67) data.…

Background: Using the Chinese version of the Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS), this article describes the prevalence of being bullied among a nationally representative sample of Chinese students in grades 6-10 and explores the relationships between being bullied and selected indicators of psychosocial adjustment. Methods: A total of 9015…

Background: This article examines the relationship between middle school students' experience with cyberbullying and their level of self-esteem. Previous research on traditional bullying among adolescents has found a relatively consistent link between victimization and lower self-esteem, while finding an inconsistent relationship between offending…

Background: Previous studies have found that higher physical activity levels are associated with greater academic achievement among students. However, it remains unclear whether associations are due to the physical activity itself or sports team participation, which may involve requirements for maintaining certain grades, for example. The purpose…

Objectives: To outline the prevalence and disparities of teen pregnancy among school-aged urban minority youth, causal pathways through which nonmarital teen births adversely affects academic achievement, and proven or promising approaches for schools to address this problem. Methods: Literature review. Results: In 2006, the birth rate among 15-…