Concussions, or mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs), are increasingly affecting school-age children in the United States. Despite this rising incidence, comprehensive return-to-learn plans for affected students are often inadequate and not utilized to the degree needed. This deficiency may stem from school psychologists' insufficient training,…

An estimated 20 percent of adolescents in North America have sustained a concussion. Teachers and school administrators are responsible for supporting following concussion to return to school. The purpose of this study was to describe the perspectives of Canadian teachers and school administrators with supporting returning to school…

Although all states have legislation pertaining to youth sports concussion, most of these laws focus on return-to-play procedures; only a few address return-to-learn (RTL) accommodations for students who have experienced a concussion. To address this gap in the legislation, some states and nongovernmental organizations have developed RTL…

Objective: To identify (1) university educators' perceptions of academic adjustments (AA), and (2) if teaching experience correlated with AA perceptions following concussion. Participants: Two hundred twenty educators. Methods: University educators were invited to complete a survey containing four subsections; this manuscript focuses on AA…

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that the registered professional school nurse (hereinafter referred to as school nurse) provides leadership/care coordination in collaboration with the school-based team to manage student concussion. The school nurse has the healthcare knowledge and skills to provide concussion…

This qualitative descriptive study was designed to explore educators and school leaders in Arizona and experiences that contributed to their preparation and work with the traumatic brain injured population. Specifically, experiences that influenced their understanding of the academic and behavioral needs of students were explored. Qualitative…

Background: Chronic and complex medical issues, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), have significant educational implications. The purpose of this study was to identify and summarize the literature on care coordination strategies among health care professionals, educators, and caregivers for children with special health care needs (CSHCN).…

The physical educator can play an important role in the successful return to learn (RTL) process for young athletes' post-concussion (PC) recovery. In addition to a key component on the school's management team, the physical educator can serve as another source in identifying those young athletes who suffer a concussion in sports outside the…

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including concussions, occur with relative frequency among youth (National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, 2016). TBI symptoms vary by severity but are generally categorized as emotional, cognitive, sleep, or physical difficulties. Common emotional symptoms reported by students include feelings of…

Background: Returning to learn following a concussion is the process of managing a student's recovery during the school day by implementation of academic supports with varying intensity. Due to a lack of consensus or even guidance on Return to Learn, this paper set out to establish cross discipline consensus on some essential elements of Return to…

Due to differences in cyber and brick-and-mortar learning, a lack of appropriate support is offered to students with acquired brain injuries while completing cyber education. The purpose of this study was to describe secondary cyber charter schoolteachers' experiences with professional development related to secondary students with acquired brain…

Background: When a child sustains an acquired brain injury (ABI), the impact extends to significant environments in their life, including school. Educator knowledge of ABI can influence a child's success with academic and social reintegration. An assessment of educator ABI knowledge was conducted to determine what information they require to…

Research on stakeholders in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) management in the schools has shown that several school personnel (e.g., nurses, athletic trainers, principals, speech-language pathologists) all contribute unique knowledge to a school-based mTBI management team. Special educators (SPEs) may be another stakeholder group that could…

Within a school there is not typically one person assigned to aid students who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Symptoms following a TBI may hinder a students' academic performance suggesting a need for "return-to-learn" protocols to be implemented as students return to the rigors of school. Previous literature suggests…

Concussions affect millions of young adults annually, many of whom are enrolled in post-secondary education. To date, concussion research has yet to establish evidence-based protocols to assist university students in returning to the classroom (i.e., return to learn [RTL]) after concussion. Without clear guidelines, students are left to…