Student wellbeing refers to the overall health, happiness, and thriving of students across multiple dimensions: physical health, mental and emotional health, social relationships, sense of safety and security, and sense of purpose and engagement. It goes beyond absence of problems to encompass positive functioning—students feeling good and doing well.

Research increasingly recognizes wellbeing as foundational to academic success rather than separate from it. Students experiencing stress, anxiety, social isolation, or feeling unsafe struggle to focus on learning. Those with strong wellbeing—feeling connected, supported, emotionally regulated, and physically healthy—are better positioned to engage academically and persist through challenges.

Schools support student wellbeing through multiple approaches: social-emotional learning programs teaching coping and relationship skills, mental health services and counseling, anti-bullying initiatives creating safe environments, opportunities for connection through advisory or mentoring, and attention to basic needs like nutrition and sleep education. Importantly, school climate itself significantly impacts wellbeing—students in positive climates report better mental health and life satisfaction.

For charter and private schools, student wellbeing connects directly to retention. Families leave schools where students are unhappy, stressed, or struggling emotionally. Pulse surveys measuring stress, belonging, safety, and overall satisfaction provide ongoing wellbeing indicators, enabling schools to support students holistically rather than only academically.