Exploring the Role of Schools during Prolonged Crisis: Lessons Learned from an Armed Conflict In Israel

Background: Recurrent crises like natural disasters, pandemics, and armed conflicts constitute a persistent traumatic reality for communities and schools worldwide, significantly affecting students, teachers, and parents. While the importance of education in emergencies is well recognized, the research in Western contexts has largely focused on acute collective traumas, with less attention to schools facing ongoing war and political conflict traumas. To address this gap, this study explored Israeli teachers’ and parents’ expectations of school psychosocial and material support for students, staff members, and parents; their evaluations of the actual support provided; and discrepancies between the two during the October 7 Israel–Hamas war. This comparison is significant because disparities between what is expected and provided can lead to frustration and disappointment and may generate tensions and conflicts that impede the school’s ability to address crises effectively

Methods: An online survey was administered during June and July 2024 to 1,100 parents (62.7% mothers; 18.4% resided near the conflict zones) and 700 teachers (81.8% women; 17.7% near conflict zones). Participants responded to a series of statements regarding their expectations of school psychosocial and material support for students, staff members, and parents, and their evaluations of the actual support provided. The response scale ranged from 1 = not at all agree to 5 = strongly agree.

Paired-sample T-tests were used to compare participants level of agreement with the school’s expected role versus evaluations of provided support regarding students, teachers, and parents and to compare participants’ perceptions of roles and support provided.

Results: Both groups emphasized schools’ crucial role in providing emotional support and guidance, but notable gaps existed between expectations and actual support, especially regarding the need to increase counselors’ working hours to support a larger number of students (Teachers: t^a = 28.44, Cohen's d = 1.07; Parents: t^a = 33.03, Cohen's d = 1.08); increase the number of emotional therapy hours offered to students (Teachers: t^a = 34.58, Cohen's d = 1.11; Parents: t^a = 28.30, Cohen's d = 1.06); and provide students with tools and skills to cope with stress and anxiety (Teachers: t^a = 23.14, Cohen's d = 0.87; Parents: t^a = 31.29, Cohen's d = 0.99). Parents and teachers also differed in their expectations and perceptions, underscoring the importance of incorporating multiple stakeholder perspectives. For example, notable discrepancies emerged regarding parental involvement in school decision-making: whereas parents considered such involvement highly desirable (M = 4.22, SD = 0.92), teachers viewed it as the least important function of the school (M = 3.68, SD = 1.25).

Conclusions: The findings underscore the urgent need for crisis-responsive educational policies that recognize schools’ central role in providing comprehensive mental health support during prolonged periods of trauma. Addressing this need requires increased resources for emotional support, structured guidance, and systemic assistance for both educators and parents, enabling them to meet the school community’s emotional and psychological needs. Policies should also strengthen parent–school connections, improve communication about available supports, and systematically incorporate the perspectives of all stakeholders to ensure equitable and effective support.