This article provides an introduction to the special issue on mindfulness in the schools by discussing the historical roots, current status, and future directions of mindfulness‐based work related to youth and their caregivers. Definitions are provided to operationalize mindfulness and mindfulness‐based interventions (MBIs); key events in the movement of MBIs from clinical settings to school settings are summarized; and the upshot of current MBI‐related work in schools is provided from both popular and scientific perspectives. Finally, an agenda for future research regarding mindfulness in schools is provided, followed by introducing and briefly discussing the target articles of this special issue.