Exploring the role of schools during prolonged crisis: Lessons learned from an armed conflict in Israel

Recurrent crises like natural disasters, pandemics, and armed conflicts constitute a persistent traumatic reality for communities 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, the study explored Israeli teachers' (N = 1,100) and parents' (N = 710) 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. t tests were used to compare the school's expected role versus evaluations of provided support regarding students, teachers, and parents and to compare teachers' and parents' perceptions of roles and support provided. Analysis of variance, t tests, and correlations were used to explore associations between participants' background characteristics and their expectations of schools. Both groups emphasized schools' crucial role in providing emotional support and guidance, but notable gaps existed between expectations and actual support, especially regarding counseling (teachers: t^a = 28.44, d = 1.07; parents: t^a = 33.03, d = 1.08). Parents and teachers also differed in their expectations and perceptions, highlighting the need to include all stakeholder perspectives. The findings indicate the need for increased resources for emotional support, structured guidance, and systemic backing. Enhancing school-family communication and aligning expectations are also vital during crises. The authors stress the importance of preparing for future recurrent emergencies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).