Strategies

Emphasize high expectations for all students, parent and student commitment, empowered principals, and regular student assessments that inform continuous improvement in a lengthened school-year and school-day

Delay school start times for middle and high schools to better align with adolescent sleep-wake cycles; often until 8:30 a.m. or later

Allow eligible patients to use marijuana for medical purposes; often called medical marijuana laws (MMLs)

Establish programs that connect students at risk of dropping out with trained adult mentors who provide ongoing guidance for academic and personal challenges

Maintain the current legal age when an individual can purchase alcoholic beverages; currently 21 years in all states

Increase the lowest hourly, daily, or monthly compensation that employers may legally pay to workers

Distribute Naloxone to trained community members and first responders to reverse opioid overdoses

Focus heavily on reading and math achievement, enforce high behavioral expectations through a formal discipline system, lengthen instructional time, and increase feedback on teacher performance

Provide home visiting services to low income, first time mothers and their babies, starting during pregnancy and continuing through a child’s second birthday

Engage community members to determine how public budgets are spent, ideally to improve neighborhood conditions and reduce inequality.