The NC Center for Resilience & Learning was founded on a simple but urgent truth: children cannot learn effectively when they do not feel safe, whether that be physically, emotionally or psychologically. Rooted in decades of neuroscience and educational research, the Center works alongside schools to implement trauma-informed practices that support both students and the educators working in our local public schools.
Research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), shows that exposure to trauma such as chronic stress, housing instability, neglect or violence can significantly impact brain development and long-term health outcomes. In schools, trauma may show up as difficulty concentrating, heightened reactivity, withdrawal, inconsistent attendance, or a host of other problems that would likely be considered behavioral.
These responses are often interpreted as defiance or disengagement; however, trauma-informed schools shift the question from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you—and how can we help?” That shift changes everything and is essential to the Center’s work.
Adaptability is another essential. The Center’s work is not a one-size-fits-all. Schools that work with Center are called partner schools, not participating schools because they play a major role in shaping their own trauma-informed spaces. From helping coaches assess a school’s culture and needs, to taking part in trainings on trauma-responsive strategies and building systems that implement those strategies, educators play a major role in making the Center’s work fit their school.
For students, the impact is profound. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, trauma-informed approaches improve students’ emotional regulation, increase engagement and reduce disciplinary incidents. Small, consistent shifts such as greeting every student by name, building predictable routines, explicitly teaching coping skills or responding to behavior with curiosity rather than punishment, can offer students lacking stability and emotional attunement the safe-space they need to focus on academic achievement.
Because our schools are both learning and work environments, the Center also aims to have a positive impact on educators. This is especially important as burnout among teachers continues to be a serious issue. Research shows that when teachers feel supported, trained and connected, retention improves and school climate strengthens. While systemic changes are necessary to fully address teacher burnout, small changes implemented by Center partner schools like formally creating in-school support networks and decompression spaces for educators, have made a huge difference.
Over time, those small shifts benefitting students and educators create cultural transformation. That is a huge deal, and it’s not just an idealized or abstract concept. Creating and nurturing these safe spaces in our schools is a research-backed, equity-centered strategy for student success.
During the 2024-25 school year, 22 districts and 43 schools in North Carolina received training or coaching from the Center, impacting over 5,000 educators and 17,500 students. One partner school reported a 57 percent decrease in discipline referrals and another reported a 63 percent decrease in suspensions after implementing trauma-informed strategies.
When we invest in resilience, we invest in achievement. When we nurture safety, we unlock potential. That potential lies within each and every student in North Carolina, we just have to do our part to tap into it.
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