What are student services and why must they be addressed?
Student Services (also known as Pupil Services) are defined by the National Association of Pupil Services Administrators as “Services designed by a school entity to support the instructional program and to help students attain their educational and career goals.” Students may face a number of barriers to learning that include: bullying, child abuse/neglect, cultural diversity, divorce/ blended families, drug and alcohol use/abuse, English language learning, family issues, grief and loss, homelessness, immigration status, low socioeconomic status, mental health issues, military deployment, physical illness, poor nutrition, relocation, sporadic parental involvement, teen pregnancy/parenting, unemployment of parent/guardian and being a victim or witness to violence. These challenges to learning need to be addressed in order to increase graduation rates and student achievement. Student services, also known as learning supports, address these barriers to promote student achievement.
