The ever-increasing demands of the American education system today can cause high levels of stress for public school social workers. Today's students have greater mental health and educational needs than in the past, and the education system is rife with contradictory policy changes to increase student success. This qualitative study uses in-depth interviews to examine the experiences of twenty-one public school social workers who serve in high-demanding urban educational environments. The study builds upon previous research on the roles of school social workers in public schools and the factors that affect their work in the public school environment. Analyses of the data reveals that school social workers must negotiate ever changing institutional structures and policies, manage school cultures that may conflict with their social work values, and implement strategies to avoid burnout and build positive relationships in their interactions with school administrators, teachers, parents, and students. Findings can inform how social workers are trained and prepared to work in schools as well as how school administrators and staff can work together with social workers to serve the whole child. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]