How Schools Can Go Beyond Academics To Help Gen Z Thrive Mentally, Emotionally, And Spiritually

The fact of the matter is that the current education system does not fully meet the needs of today’s students. It’s not just about academic benchmarks; it’s also about mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. 

While most debates center on standardized testing and the distribution of government funds, there is a deeper issue at play. The current US education system is failing its students. Public education, as it stands, wasn’t built to help Gen Z navigate identity, purpose, or anxiety. And it shows.

Why traditional schooling is struggling

Despite decades of reform efforts, school leaders and education reformers are watching student outcomes stagnate or even worsen. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, math and reading scores among 13-year-olds declined significantly between 2020 and 2023. Additionally, mental health challenges are soaring, with the CDC reporting a 40 percent rise in persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness among teens over the past decade. 

One doesn’t necessarily determine the other, but it’s not a coincidence that standardized test scores are declining while mental health issues are persisting and students are considered to be “less learned” than the generations that came before them. 

Nowadays, student achievement should not be solely based on standardized tests; it should be based on mental preparedness, volunteer work, or what they’re passionate about. Nevertheless, public school system metrics often still revolve around standardized education, test scores, and high school graduation rates, rather than the long-term well-being or readiness of students. 

Justin MacDonald, Head of The Academy at District Church, sees the problem firsthand. “The modern American education system was designed for an industrial age, not for a generation facing mental health crises and existential questions,” he explains. “If we don’t equip students with purpose and perspective, all the achievement gaps we close won’t matter.”

The rise of “Adulting 101” and what it signals

Across school districts and charter schools, new education programs like “Adulting 101” are emerging as a grassroots response to Gen Z’s cry for real-world preparation. From budgeting to conflict resolution to emotional resilience, these courses reflect what many families and community stakeholders have long suspected: the education system has overlooked the basics of life.

This growing education movement points to a hunger for personalized, practical, and values-driven instruction — elements often missing in a standards-based reform movement that prioritizes compliance over curiosity. The board of education often misses the point when discussing “reform” and implementing new rules and/or classes to address this issue. They continue to think in terms of government dollars, rather than the well-being of their target population: the students. 

MacDonald adds, “When a teenager tells you they learned more from one ‘Adulting 101′ class than a semester of social studies, it’s not a knock on teachers — it’s a wake-up call for the educational system, and society as a whole. Perhaps equipping people for real life requires living and learning in real life from real-world practitioners, not artificial school environments and theoretical ‘academics.’”

Purpose-based coaching: A tool for resilience

School could be a place where students not only accumulate knowledge but also discover calling, courage, and conviction. A true education reform movement doesn’t only focus on the immediate problems; it takes the whole issue into account, recognizing that these students will eventually become adults.

“We don’t believe students are empty containers waiting to be filled with facts. We see them as uniquely gifted individuals who, when coached with purpose, will lead with resilience,” shares MacDonald. “That’s why we practice purpose-based coaching, to ensure that everyone understands there’s a bigger calling than just getting good grades and getting into college.”

Studies show that when people know their value and their purpose, they are more likely to perform at a higher level. “This is true for everyone: students, teachers, and staff,” notes MacDonald. When purpose becomes part of the school culture, achievement follows — not just on paper, but in real life.

Education reform must address the whole person

The education system reform movement is increasingly focused on holistic development, moving beyond the binary of traditional education versus progressive education. Successful education systems recognize that standards matter, but so do self-awareness, spiritual grounding, and critical thinking.

The Fordham Institute, a leading conservative voice in education research, emphasizes that reform often fails when it treats schools like factories instead of communities. To improve education, reform would be more effective if it aligned classroom rigor with mentorship, values, and real-world readiness.

Educational reform initiatives are most promising when they involve school leaders, family and community engagement, and individualized education strategies that address both intellect and identity — the entire education landscape. This approach is especially crucial in special education, where a one-size-fits-all curriculum leaves many students behind.

A vision beyond the classroom

Public school reformers aren’t alone in this shift. Private schools, homeschool co-ops, and alternative education networks are experimenting with hybrid models that blend classical education with modern tools, faith-based curricula, and early college credit.

At some progressive schools, students graduate into college or entrepreneurial ventures by the age of 16 or 17 — not because of shortcuts, but because the school system is built around mastery, not seat time. This type of education program challenges the standardize-and-sort model that’s dominated American education since the common school movement.

As noted by the American Enterprise Institute, education reformers must think beyond the classroom and involve multiple sectors if we want to transform education across the nation.

The need for a broader coalition

For real systemic reform to occur, stakeholders — including school board members, local leaders, and parents — must rethink the value of education itself. Is the goal college readiness? Employment? Citizenship? Or something deeper?

“Excellence in education can’t be defined by GPA alone,” says MacDonald. “We need to ask whether we’re helping students live with meaning — and whether our educational system supports that at every level.”

While the Department of Education may push top-down initiatives, the most effective school reforms often begin at the school board level or even outside of schools, where families, churches, and nonprofits step in to offer individualized education and life coaching.

Looking ahead: Reform with roots

American education doesn’t need more slogans. It needs a vision rooted in timeless values, practical skills, and local ownership. Whether through charter schools, school choice programs, or alternative education options, the call for reform is clear: students deserve more than a diploma. They deserve direction.

As the landscape of modern American education continues to shift, it’s time to remember that test scores are just one piece of the puzzle. Reforming education to serve the whole student — mind, body, and spirit — is not just good policy but an essential moral imperative.