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Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety

Case Study Compilation: Integrating Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Into Academics & Beyond

Transforming education.

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This resource includes:

• Eleven case studies: Each case study highlights educator ‘moves’ and strategies to embed social-emotional skills, mindsets, and competencies throughout the school day and within academics. They each conclude with a reflection prompt that challenges readers to examine their own practice. The case studies are written from several different perspectives, including teachers in the classroom and in distance learning environments, a school counselor, and district leaders.
• Reflection Guide for Professional Learning: The Reflection Guide offers an entry point for educators to think critically about their work with youth in order to strengthen their practice. School leaders or other partners may choose to use this Reflection Guide in a variety of contexts, including coaching conversations and staff professional development sessions.

October 28, 2020

Adult SEL Getting Started Integration with Academics Sustainable Implementation

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Learning by Heart: Social and Emotional Learning in Secondary Schools

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FIVE AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOLS WHERE SEL IS CORE

Most SEL efforts have focused on the elementary grades, and most of the research documents discrete programs within schools. We know far less about the promises and challenges of SEL in middle and high school—and less still about what it takes to make social and emotional learning central to a school’s mission and inextricably linked to academics.

The five case studies presented here document the transformative power of social and emotional learning, and its connections to deeper learning, in five diverse American high schools.

In four of these schools, the links between academic and social-emotional learning were built into their DNA, although the designs and students served are decidedly distinct; each school had close to twenty years of experience forging these connections. The fifth school, Chicago’s Fenger High School, offered an extraordinary opportunity to observe educators embracing SEL as a strategy for turning around years of poor performance.

We took take a constructivist approach to our research . Rather than bring a list of contested issues to the schools visited, we worked the other way around. We asked administrators, faculty, and students to show us where in the school day social and emotional learning stood out for them, and what effects it had. We focused on effective practices as much as effective programs —another reflection of our constructivist instincts, but also a reminder that the best schools are learning organizations, continually inventing and measuring the effectiveness of practices rooted in their own particular circumstances. Our mixed research approach also made multimedia built on student and teacher voices one of the tools in our data gathering.

With one exception, we visited each school twice for several days, observing and interviewing as many students and faculty as possible and gathering images and voices from students and teachers alike.

In addition to the full case study, we have created a "Close-Up" for each school that examines a particular aspect of its SEL work: restorative practices at Fenger, developingt student agency at Springfield Renaissance, service learning and giving back at Quest, creating accountability through community at East Side, and soccer as unifier at Oakland International.

Made possible by the NoVo Foundation

What Kids Can Do, Inc. | [email protected] | www.whatkidscando.org | P.O. Box 603252 | Providence, RI 02906 | (401) 247-7665 phone | (401) 245-6428 fax Copyright © 2014 What Kids Can Do, Inc.

Case study: Combining social emotional learning and rigorous academics to support the whole child

This case study is part of a series that highlights the ways schools are implementing standards-based, grade-level expectations alongside an approach to personalized learning. At first, the two approaches may seem incompatible, especially for students who are behind: how can a personalized model that “meets students where they’re at” also ask them to engage with content that may be multiple years above their current level? We hope that these case studies will show how the two approaches need not be at odds. Although complex, integrating these two approaches can drive better outcomes for students across a range of domains. 

About Compass Academy

Compass Academy is a charter school in Denver Public Schools in Colorado, serving approximately 300 students in grades 6-8.  Compass Academy was founded on a vision of creating a safe learning environment for students using a social emotional learning model.

The 2019-20 school year is Compass’ 5th year as a school and their 2nd year as an ANet partner.

Two approaches

Social emotional learning (SEL)

Standards-aligned, grade-level instruction ( ANet )

Prior to the 2018-19 school year, Compass primarily focused on implementing their SEL model with many features of personalized learning. Their comprehensive approach to SEL includes a variety of strategies, including:

“PACK” time —PACK time is a class each morning that focuses on SEL lessons and culture building. Teachers use this time to build healthy habits, culture, and flag any signs that a student may be struggling in school or at home. 

Early Warning Indicator (EWI) meetings —teachers and leaders identify students that need additional support.

“Induction camp” - induction camp is a week-long program in the summer led by Culture Within Curriculum. The first two days of the camp focus on training for Compass staff around SEL strategies to incorporate into their classrooms and individualize support for students. 

Leaders at Compass intentionally prioritized SEL to create a solid foundation of trust that would facilitate student learning. Compass leaders began building their capacity around standards-aligned instruction while prioritizing SEL. And now that they have a strong SEL model in place, Compass has made key shifts to their instructional practices to ensure students have access to rigorous instruction as well as SEL resources and supports. 

This case study highlights the ways in which Compass is maintaining a strong SEL foundation alongside rigorous, standards-aligned instruction, and how the foundation of SEL allows students to go deeper in their academic courses because of the trust they’ve built with adults in their building.

Three steps to start the year right

1. Set the tone for the year.

The week-long induction camp prior to the school year is critical for student and teacher success throughout the year. The induction camp sets the stage for how teachers will engage with students, and vice versa, to create the most effective and positive learning environment for all students. 

Two main goals for the week focus on preparing for the school year by 1) practicing SEL-focused skills, and 2) learning about student needs (e.g. how they learn, who they work well with, what challenges they may have).

The “challenge process” is a key focus of learning for teachers throughout the week. The challenge process centers on learning about each student by observing their interactions when faced with a “challenge” and how teachers can use this knowledge to better support their learning. This is the same process that will help students productively struggle in their academic classes, and will prepare teachers to plan and address misconceptions. 

At the core of Compass’ model is integrating SEL work into every aspect of the school day. The key question that drives the SEL model can also be applied to core academics: “ how do we share what teachers are learning about individual students so that it can inform how teachers interact with, support, and differentiate instruction ?”

While the content of both approaches is very different, there are many overlapping themes in teaching strategies including: persevere through challenges, ask questions, use your resources, teachers plan for misconceptions, be ready to adjust on the fly, pause often to reinforce ideas, etc. This is a tangible way to apply SEL strategies to rigorous core academics. 

The two approaches not only overlap, but also support one another. As students receive the SEL support they need, they are more ready to engage in grade-level content throughout the day. Students and faculty have trusting relationships, which allow students to feel more supported, spend more time in class, and ultimately have more access to rigorous, grade-level material. 

2. Build leader and teacher capacity.

“ When you get to Compass and it’s your first time here, it feels like you are taking on the world because we’re expecting high academic achievement and social emotional support. ”

New teachers that come to Compass are typically an expert either in 1) a content area or 2) social emotional learning. Teachers are rarely an expert in both, yet they are expected to do both at a high level in their classrooms. For this reason, high-quality and comprehensive professional development is crucial for teachers’ and students’ success at Compass. 

As mentioned above, teachers engaged in a week long “induction camp,” which provides a social emotional learning knowledge base for teachers to draw from throughout the year. Compass leaders also have weekly one-on-one coaching sessions for teachers to address gaps in content knowledge or standards-aligned instruction, and delivers ongoing professional development on standards and curriculum internalization. Compass leaders learned the curricula inside and out so they could effectively support their teachers.

These efforts are paying off. Increased teacher retention at Compass over the past 2 years has contributed to building teacher expertise across multiple years. 

3. Shift structures and practices to support rigorous instruction.

Compass built an amazing foundation of SEL from which students could safely learn, as is evidenced by internal indicators such as student surveys (shared below in the “Getting Results” section). However, the focus on SEL was such that they did not build an equally strong foundation to support rigorous instruction. Compass leaders knew both SEL and rigorous instruction were crucial to supporting and teaching the “whole child”. 

Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, ANet supported the Compass leadership team to make key changes to their instructional practices. These changes included: adopting and implementing high-quality curriculum in ELA and math, implementing strong planning practices, using coaching to support classroom instruction, and adjusting the school schedule to allow for more time in ELA and math classes. 

Each of these shifts was paramount to delivering grade-level, standards-aligned instruction in a way that built upon Compass’s personalized approach to SEL for students. Adopting and implementing high-quality curricula was one of the biggest shifts the Compass team made. Compass not only adopted and implemented high-quality curriculum, they also adopted strong planning practices that made the curriculum more accessible for teachers. 

Getting Results

After the 2018-19 school year, Compass grew two levels on Colorado’s 1-year school performance framework (from turnaround to improvement).

Compass analyzes their student satisfaction survey data each year. From the 2017-18 to the 2018-19 school year, questions pertaining to student learning made the biggest improvements overall. Questions with the largest increase include:

The following screenshots highlight Compass’ Median Growth Percentiles (MGP) in ELA and math from the 2017-18 school year to the 2018-19 school year. The school has seen huge growth across grade levels and subgroups. Specifically, in math:

Overall math MGP is approaching Meets Expectations

SPED MGP grew by 32 points

ELL MGP grew by 15 points

6th grade MGP grew by over 32 points (included in below screenshot)

Highlights in ELA include:

Compass was green on all growth indicators except 6th grade

SPED MGP grew by over 28 points

ELL MGP grew by 12 points

8th grade MGP approaching Exceeds Expectations

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Rocky River Elementary School Case Study – An Implementation of a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum and Sensory Integration Tools for All Students

There is growing attention to the positive impacts of implementing social and emotional learning and sensory integration techniques in schools. The authors intend for this case study to showcase the design thinking and continuous improvement process at Rocky River Elementary school and the keys to success.

Introduction

It’s 8:15 a.m. in Mrs. Brenneman’s class and one of her students is introducing his friend to the rest of the class during their morning meeting. “I’m Roger and this is my friend, Lucy. She has really cool sneakers.” In another classroom, students are engaging in sensory stations designed to help them get the “jitters” out by moving their bodies, practicing mindful breathing techniques, and experiencing the power of laughter!

Rocky River Elementary School incorporated sensory integration techniques and tools, mindfulness and social and emotional learning (SEL) into daily lessons for some students. The school has a full-time sensory integration coach who works with students and teachers on a daily basis. Sensory integration tools range from flexible seating to body movement exercises to belly breathing. These tools promoted mindfulness, helping students recognize and accept their present thoughts and emotions, which can help students reset their brains for learning. SEL teaches students essential life skills based on five core competencies – self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Research from the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) shows that students with SEL training “scored 13 points higher academically than their peers 3.5 years later, had 6 percent better high school graduation rates, and could even reap lifelong monetary benefits for their healthy adult lifestyle.” [1] These morning activities were not always part of a formalized curriculum and were limited to only some students. Rocky River wanted to enhance these activities and implement an SEL curriculum for all students.

In the spring of 2018, The Innovation Project (TIP) received a three-year grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Michigan, to empower principals and school teams to pioneer innovative approaches targeted at early learning to dramatically improve student outcomes. TIP and its partners created the TIP Early Learning Network (ELN) to bring together teams from across several districts to engage in this work. The ELN takes a concerted approach to three interrelated activities that together will enable schools to achieve transformative results: transformation through school design, coaching for entrepreneurial school leadership, and innovative district supports.

“One of the best parts of the experience was bringing a group of professionals together, to learn and then to be able to apply it immediately in the classroom.” -Adrian Parry, Principal

Through a formal application process, the ELN selected the first cohort of 17 schools from seven North Carolina school districts to participate in this program. Rocky River school leaders applied and were one of the 17 schools selected to participate in the ELN program. Through participation in the ELN, the Rocky River principal and teacher leaders engaged in a year-long design thinking and implementation process. As a result of this activity, three primary factors emerged that helped the Rocky River team successfully implement the SEL curriculum for all students.

1 https://www.the74million.org/article/social-emotional-learning-boosts-students-scores-graduation-rates-even-earnings-new-study-finds/

Listen to a Rocky River Elementary School Teacher’s Testimonial:

Cyndal Brenneman shares her thoughts on the importance of whole-school buy-in.

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Authors and Contributors

Social and Emotional Learning

Professional learning opportunities that drive the implementation of Social and Emotional Learning in classrooms, schools and districts.

The Innovation Project Early Learning Network (TIP ELN)

With a three-year grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, The Innovation Project (TIP) and its partners developed and supported an inter-district network focused on redesigning learning environments to better address the early learning needs of vulnerable children. In its first two years, the Early Learning Network (ELN) engaged school design teams and principals from 36 schools in 12 North Carolina districts in a cohort-based program defined by three interrelated activities that together enable transformative results: transformation through school design; coaching for entrepreneurial school leadership; and innovative district supports.

May 10, 2021

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Published by.

Friday Institute for Educational Innovation

Suggested Citation

Jones, R., Rexrode, S., Ableidinger, J. and Wiggs, B. (2021). An implementation of a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum and sensory integration tools for all students in Rocky River North Carolina. Raleigh, NC. Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at the NC State College of Education.

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Social and Emotional Learning

Weaving the secrets of the past.

When the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action came out, Ms. Miller’s school was required to teach all students, of all ages, about the truths of Indian Residential Schools (IRS). Orange Shirt Day was coming up fast and Ms. Miller and her colleagues (mainly white teachers) struggled with what and how to teach in this area, having limited experience and knowledge about IRS.

Many teachers found ways to discuss the Indian Residential School systems with their students, as best they could. They discussed how and why children were taken from their families; why there was a loss of language, culture, and traditions; how family members missed one another; and the sadness and many other emotions that may have been experienced by Indigenous families.  

Later in the year, when the remains of 215 children were found buried at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, Ms. Miller and her colleagues were concerned about how they could deliver this news to the students. Some of Ms. Miller’s colleagues opted completely out of teaching this topic, others did not speak of the murders that happened, but Ms. Miller did not shy away from the topic and sharing the truth.

Ms. Miller, a Canadian settler, felt the need to speak about Canada’s true history. Although the students in Ms. Miller’s class were primary students, she had a need to speak about the truth of Canada’s horrific history. Unlike most of her colleagues, Ms. Miller was direct about the topic using developmentally appropriate language. She did her best to learn as much as she could prior to teaching about the tragic histories and to answer the questions asked by her students. She wanted to help others understand the histories of Indigenous Peoples and what they have had to overcome. Non-Indigenous children in her class went home confused about why this had happened to Indigenous children in Canada. Some Indigenous children went home feeling afraid that they, too, would be taken from their families and placed in Residential Schools.  

Many parents were in support of reconciliation and agreed with the need to include Indigenous history and content in the school curriculum. There were many mixed emotions from parents and guardians that came after Ms. Miller’s presentations about the remains found at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Many families were in support of Ms. Miller and what she was teaching, but many other families contested what was being taught at their child’s school.  

A non-Indigenous family expressed concerns that their 6-year-old child had learned about the history of residential schools and about the remains of 215 children found buried at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. The family did not know much about the actual truths of residential schools until their child came home explaining what Ms. Miller had taught them. The parents were angry with Ms. Miller, and complained to the school’s principal. They told the principal that Ms. Miller should not be teaching their 6-year-old child about murders, neglect, and abuse.  

Another family of First Nations ancestry was also concerned with the emotions and reactions of their 6-year-old child to the information shared in Ms. Miller's class. Their child was scared to return to school because of what he was learning about residential schools. Although Ms. Miller indicated that this would never happen again, the child was scared and feared that he, too, was going to be taken away from his parents. The child had a difficult time feeling safe and returning to school.  

As a classroom teacher, particularly in light of the recent discoveries of children’s graves at the sites of formal Indian Residential Schools, how would you deliver the difficult news to your students?  

Questions for discussion:

• How will you and your team create a safe learning environment for all people?  
• While teaching difficult topics, what are you doing as an educator to support your students if they become overwhelmed     ?  
• What steps are you taking as an educator to check the well-being of your students (example: zones of self-regulation)?
• How are you communicating with parents and guardians to raise awareness and ensure a better understanding of difficult topics that need to be addressed in school?
• How do you develop supportive and trusting relationships with the families and caregivers of the students you teach that allow for safe and open dialogue when they are not comfortable with material you are teaching in your classroom?  
• Thinking about educator SEL - If a subject makes a teacher feel uncomfortable, should they skip this topic? How might Ms. Miller attend to her own needs, feelings, anxieties, frustrations, etc., that may come up when having to teach an uncomfortable and unknown topic? How might the school as a whole identify      ways to support the needs of teachers in their journey of teaching difficult material and responding to the harsh feedback and reactions they may receive when doing so?

When the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action came out, Ms. Miller’s school was required to teach all students about the truths of Indian Residential Schools (IRS). Orange Shirt Day was coming up fast and Ms. Miller and her colleagues (mainly white teachers) struggled with what and how to teach in this area, having limited experience and knowledge about IRS.

Many teachers found ways to discuss the Indian Residential School systems with their students, as best they could. They discussed how and why children were taken from their families; why there was a loss of language, culture, and traditions; how family members missed one another; and the sadness and many other emotions that may have been experienced by Indigenous families.

Ms. Miller, a Canadian settler, felt the need to speak about Canada’s true history. She felt it was important to educate her students about the truth of Canada’s horrific history in a manner appropriate for her adolescent students. Unlike most of her colleagues, Ms. Miller was direct about the topic, using developmentally appropriate language. She did her best to learn as much as she could prior to teaching about the tragic histories, and to answer the questions asked by her students. She wanted to help others understand the histories of Indigenous Peoples and what they have had to overcome. Non-Indigenous students in her class went home confused about why this had happened to Indigenous children in Canada. Some Indigenous students went home with very complex thoughts and emotions that were challenging to handle on their own.

While most parents were in support of reconciliation and agreed with the need to include Indigenous history and content in the school curriculum, there were mixed emotions after Ms. Miller’s presentations about the remains found at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Many families were in support of Ms. Miller and what she was teaching, but many other families questioned what was being taught at their student’s school.

A non-Indigenous family expressed concerns that their 13-year-old child had learned about the history of residential schools and about the remains of 215 children found buried at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. This family did not know much about the actual truths of residential schools until their student came home explaining what Ms. Miller had taught them. The parents were angry with Ms. Miller, and complained to the school’s principal. They told the principal that Ms. Miller should not be teaching their 13-year-old child about murders, neglect, and abuse.

Another family of First Nations ancestry was also concerned with the emotions and reactions of their 13-year-old child to the information shared in Ms. Miller's class. Their child was overcome by challenging emotions because of what he was learning about residential schools. Although Ms. Miller indicated that this would never happen again, the student had a difficult time feeling safe and returning to school where most of the teachers were white settlers.

As future classroom teachers, consider this case and what you might do in your own classrooms if you were in Ms. Miller’s shoes.

Before you begin to answer the case questions, read and discuss the following

• Think about other difficult topics taught in school, such as Remembrance Day, World War I and II. Those difficult topics about genocide have been successfully taught in elementary and secondary schools. As such, this isn’t the first time a difficult topic has been taught in school.
• The teacher may need to think about learning about Indigenous People and communities outside of Orange Shirt Day. Thinking about asking Indigenous guest speakers into the classroom for other “happier” topics, such as, a community powwow, Salmon feast, or visiting a long house.
• Do not invite survivors with “cold calls or emails” Make sure teachers have a prior relationship with guest speakers. It’s not appropriate to invite survivors to ask them to re-tell their trauma. This can be re-traumatizing and discriminatory to ask them about their IRS experience.

Case questions for discussion and submission:

• How does this case relate to the SEL of Ms. Miller’s students?  (come up with at least 3 ideas)
• Looking at the case, what do you think Ms. Miller did well in trying to create a safe learning environment for all students no matter how difficult the topic?  What might you suggest she do differently?
• How might Ms. Miller have done a better job of developing supportive and trusting relationships with the families of her students, so that they might be more comfortable with the material she taught (or more comfortable reaching out to her directly)?
• How might Ms. Miller attend to her own needs, feelings, anxieties, frustrations, etc., that may come up when having to teach an uncomfortable and/or unfamiliar topic?   

Note:   In line with Indigenous protocols to knowledge, we situate ourselves in relationship to the case study. We are a collective of educators who are connected to UBC’s teacher education program. Two of us are Indigenous. Dr. Johanna Sam is a proud member of Tsilhqot’in Nation in north-central British Columbia. Dr. Sam's research and teaching takes a strength-based approach for exploring digital spaces and wellbeing among youth and Indigenous communities. Ms. Erica Hamilton is a proud member of the Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw Tribe of the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw peoples. She was raised in Alert Bay on the north tip of Vancouver Island, home of the ‘Namgis First Nation. Her teaching philosophy expands on Indigenous Education as a focal point while learning about different cultures and traditions and exploring the beauty of diversity. Ms. Amanda Denys is a K-6 educator with special interests in social and emotional learning (SEL) and mental wellbeing.  Dr. Laurie Ford who takes a strong interdisciplinary focus as an educator and psychologist to her work exploring family school community relationship with an emphasis on families with diverse backgrounds.  Dr. Surita Jhangiani and Dr. Shawna Faber are the course creators and instructors and both focus on the importance of development, diversity, and creating inclusive classroom spaces where everyone feels safe and supported.

"Mistaken" Identity

Miss B. is a music teacher in a K-9 community school serving approximately 1100 students of various ethnic and racial backgrounds. Miss B. has worked full time at the school for 12 years and is also in charge of several extra-curricular initiatives including the school choir, handbell choir, and yearly winter concert. She is well known in the school community and has taught nearly all of the students in the school at one time or another including, at times, multiple children from the same family.  She is one of three Black, female teachers at the school which has a staff of about 70 people.

One day there is a Black, female Teacher on Call (TOC) working in the school named Mrs. M. Throughout the day many students greet the TOC with enthusiastic and friendly waves and by saying things like, “Hi, Miss B.!” or “Have a good day, Miss B.!”.

Mr. C., a grade 4 teacher, observed the interactions between Mrs. M. and his students and has noticed that while Mrs. M. smiled at the students, she had a confused and somewhat sad look on her face. Mr. C. believes that he should intervene and/or address the situation. What should he do?

Use the following prompts and questions to help guide your thinking:

Social Awareness is one of the five core competencies set out by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) . It includes feeling empathy for others from similar and diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts as well as understanding how broader historical and societal norms can influence our sense of belonging.

In the above scenario, who do you think has or does not have a positive sense of belonging? Consider Mrs. M., the students who were calling her Miss B., Black students (or other students of colour) who may have witnessed the exchanges involving the “mistaken" identity, etc.

• How can Mr. C. support any staff member or student who may not be feeling valued, included, or seen as a result of the above situation?
• What steps could Mr. C. take to help prevent similar situations from happening in the future and to promote the well-being of ALL members of the school community?
• Many SEL models stress the importance of educator SEL. How might Mr. C. attend to his own needs, feelings, anxieties, frustrations, etc. that may have arisen during the events described above and the actions he decides to take? How can he help support Mrs. M. in what appears to have been a difficult experience for her?

Miss B. is a music teacher in a high school community school serving approximately 300 students of various ethnic and racial backgrounds. Miss B. has worked full time at the school for 12 years and is also in charge of several extra-curricular initiatives including the school choir, handbell choir, and yearly winter concert. She is well known in the school community and has taught nearly all of the students in the school at one time or another including, at times, multiple students from the same family.  She is one of three Black, female teachers at the school which has a staff of about 40 people.

One day there is a Black, female Teacher on Call (TOC) working in the school named Mrs. M. Throughout the day many students approach her and ask if she is Miss B.’s twin sister saying that they look exactly the same. They use phrases such as, “The two of you look like, basically, the same person!”

Mr. C., a science teacher, observed the interactions between Mrs. M. and his students and has noticed that while Mrs. M. smiled at the students and responded that the both of them were not related, she had a confused and somewhat sad look on her face. Mr. C. believes that he should intervene and/or address the situation. What should he do?

In the above scenario, who do you think has or does not have a positive sense of belonging? Consider Mrs. M., the students who thought she was Miss B.’s twin sister, and Black students (or other students of colour) who may have witnessed the exchanges involving the “mistaken" relationship between the teachers, etc.

•  What steps could Mr. C. take to help prevent similar situations from happening in the future and to promote the well-being of ALL members of the school community?

When re-using this resource, please attribute as follows:

This UBC EPSE 308 Behaviourism Open Case Study was developed by Amanda Denys, Laurie Ford, and Erica Hamilton and it is licensed under a under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Post Image: Mbrickn , CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Preparing Teachers to Support Social and Emotional Learning

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The evidence is clear: Social and emotional skills, habits, and mindsets can set students up for academic and life success. Given that decades of research show that a focus on social and emotional learning (SEL) can lead to positive outcomes, from increased test scores and graduation rates to improved prosocial skills that support student success in school and beyond, SEL is now considered part of a whole child education. It is less clear what schools and teachers can do to develop these abilities.

This two-part study offers information on how preservice and in-service teacher training can support good teaching practices and implement SEL in schools, while providing a picture of what SEL looks like when integrated into the school day. The first part describes how one preservice program prepares teachers for the social and emotional dimensions of teaching and learning, focusing on San Jose State University (SJSU)’s elementary teacher preparation program. The second part provides a glimpse into in-service professional development for SEL in Lakewood Elementary School in Sunnyvale, CA. This report is the first in a series intended to inform policymakers, practitioners, and teacher educators about the components of strong, SEL-focused teacher preparation and development programs.

SJSU’s elementary teacher education program, which graduates 125 students annually, has had an explicit focus on SEL since 2009, when a faculty member founded the Center for Reaching and Teaching the Whole Child (CRTWC). With the help of the Center, the elementary education department has been working to integrate a focus on the “social and emotional dimensions of teaching and learning” throughout its program, from courses on foundational theory and academic curriculum to fieldwork.

SJSU and CRTWC’s philosophy is based on the belief that education ought to address the whole student and that development is shaped not just by schools but by one’s sociopolitical, cultural, community, and individual context. Teachers are an important part of this social context: How teachers relate to their students, and the model they set for classroom interactions, affects students’ receptivity to learning and their own social-emotional development.

Lakewood Elementary School has long had an interest in SEL, in part because it has hosted many of SJSU’s teacher candidates in their student teaching and hired many graduates. It has also developed a partnership with the CRTWC, which conducts districtwide trainings for cooperating teachers—the teachers who mentor student teachers—on the social and emotional dimensions of teaching and learning. Lakewood strives to ensure that teachers feel empowered to learn at their own pace and direct their own learning, while having a strong commitment to supporting students’ needs. Many teachers at Lakewood have received training on how to infuse SEL in their teaching at SJSU or in professional development with CRTWC, and those who have not are learning from their colleagues.

The research found that teacher preparation programs, such as the one at SJSU, are a logical place to begin educating teachers on the role of emotions and social relationships in learning, appropriate expectations for children's and adolescents’ social and emotional development, and ways teachers can support students’ growth in this area. Faculty at SJSU, with the support of former colleagues at CRTWC, have focused on the social and emotional dimensions of teaching and learning as a core part of their teacher preparation program. When SEL is a key pillar of the school’s mission, as it is at Lakewood Elementary, teachers and leaders understand that SEL should be integrated into every aspect of the school, from explicit classroom instruction and infusion into academic content to school climate and culture. In this case, teachers can continue to grow their practices as they collaborate, learn from each other, and use SEL data to make instructional decisions, with the ultimate goal of nurturing students’ social, emotional, and academic learning.

Research Findings

Implications for preservice teacher education programs.

• Develop teachers’ social and emotional competence. Doing so helps them support students’ social and emotional development, and increases the likelihood of teacher retention.
• Help teacher candidates set the stage for SEL by teaching them to develop safe, inclusive, and supportive classroom environments. The science of learning and development is clear that students thrive socially, emotionally, and academically in a safe and supportive learning environment.
• Integrate the teaching of SEL into the teaching of academic subjects . Social and emotional competencies can be woven into the teaching of core academic content and curriculum, moving beyond the common misconception that SEL is taught through stand-alone lessons.
• Develop strong university-district partnerships to improve a focus on the social and emotional dimensions of teaching and learning throughout the teacher preparation pipeline. During student teaching, teacher candidates must apply the multiple theories and strategies they have learned in their coursework. For these experiences to be successful, teacher candidates should be able to see their cooperating teacher model good teaching that is attentive to SEL.
• Provide time for faculty for training and collaboration to integrate practices that support SEL effectively in their coursework . Faculty need time to participate in trainings, read, inspect their own syllabi and assignments, and collaborate with each other. Integrating SEL into a preservice program requires time for the whole staff to develop a common language and commitment across the curriculum.

Implications for Schools

• Integrate SEL into the fabric of the school . All adults, from leadership to support staff, need to understand the importance of SEL and know how to support it. SEL is seen not as something that is done through discrete lessons, but rather as something that contributes to students’ development.
• Start with the social and emotional learning of the adults. When teachers and principals are aware of their own emotions and how these emotions impact the classroom and school environment, they are more likely to support students in understanding their own emotions.
• Create explicit opportunities to generate buy-in and engage teachers in making decisions about SEL implementation. Educators are a key component of any SEL initiative; without their buy-in and commitment, resources allocated for SEL implementation could go to waste. By creating opportunities for teachers to learn about SEL through trainings, observing colleagues at their school or district, or attending conferences, educators can be active participants in making decisions about how SEL is implemented at their school.
• Create professional development on SEL that is explicit, sustained, and job-embedded. Teachers, counselors, coaches, and other professionals working in schools benefit from training on how to teach social and emotional competencies and how to infuse SEL in teaching practices. As with all good professional development, follow-up and coaching are important components of educator learning, which ideally is differentiated based on the educator’s experience and prior exposure to SEL and the needs of the student population being served.
• Provide ongoing support to educators using SEL assessments for instructional purposes . SEL assessments can provide meaningful data about students’ social and emotional skills that teachers can use to inform classroom instruction. Educators need sufficient time and training to understand the measurement tool and how it relates to the school’s SEL implementation framework before being asked to use and respond to data.

Implications for Policy

• States can include the knowledge and skills teachers need to support students’ SEL in state teaching standards . Including a strong focus on SEL in teacher licensing and accreditation standards could help bring coherence to how SEL is included in the scope and sequence of preservice coursework and create the expectation that all teachers need to meet these standards.
• States and institutes of higher education can adopt performance assessments that require teacher candidates to demonstrate SEL-focused skills and knowledge as a condition of teacher licensure . For example, California’s new Teaching Performance Expectations, along with its video-based performance assessment, include specific standards regarding SEL, culturally responsive teaching, and the ability to provide a socially and emotionally safe learning environment that must be met for licensure. States could add to or supplement their current assessments of teacher candidates to ensure that candidates demonstrate the skills needed to support students’ SEL.
• Policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels can invest in university-district partnerships that strengthen teacher candidates’ field experiences and enhance districts’ ability to support students’ SEL. Student teaching experiences are at the heart of preservice programs, so it is critical that teacher candidates have strong mentor teachers who effectively address the social and emotional dimensions of teaching and learning. States and districts, as well as institutions of higher education, can incentivize these partnerships through funding and technical assistance.
• Federal, state, and local efforts can support school and district leaders’ learning about SEL and administrators’ role in supporting teachers and students. Principal and district leadership is essential to sustaining a focus on SEL, and high-quality principal development requires financial investment. States can use federal funds to offset the expense of principal preparation and training. States may want to consider taking advantage of targeted funds, such as those provided in Title II of the Every Student Succeeds Act, to make strategic investments in their school leader workforce.
• Policymakers can also provide schools with resources and technical assistance as they seek to advance SEL. Educators need to be trained to analyze schools’ needs and implement high-quality programs, professional development, and school organizational changes that support students’ development. Lakewood Elementary and Sunnyvale School District are fortunate to have professional development support from multiple sources, but not all schools and districts know where to turn. Federal- or state-level support may include technical assistance, the facilitation of peer learning networks, and funding to bolster schools’ efforts in supporting students’ SEL.
• States and districts can provide well-validated tools to measure SEL, school climate, and related school supports. Well-designed and well-implemented measurement tools can help educators make strategic decisions about investments in student services and programs, ranging from measures of school climate and students’ social and emotional competencies to diagnostic measures such as protocols for observing and reflecting on educator practices and school structures. Staff surveys can strengthen educators’ voice in their professional development and allow them to weigh in on which supports they need most.

Preparing Teachers to Support Social and Emotional Learning: A Case Study of San Jose State University and Lakewood Elementary School​  by Hanna Melnick and Lorea Martinez is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License .

We are grateful to the Stuart Foundation for its support of this work, to the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative for their additional support in this area, and to the Sandler Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Ford Foundation for their core operating support of the Learning Policy Institute.

Why Social and Emotional Learning Is Essential for Students

Learn more about the critical role that social and emotional learning plays in promoting student success.

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Editor's note: This piece is co-authored by Roger Weissberg, Joseph A. Durlak, Celene E. Domitrovich, and Thomas P. Gullotta, and adapted from Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning: Research and Practice , now available from Guilford Press.

Today's schools are increasingly multicultural and multilingual with students from diverse social and economic backgrounds. Educators and community agencies serve students with different motivation for engaging in learning, behaving positively, and performing academically. Social and emotional learning (SEL) provides a foundation for safe and positive learning, and enhances students' ability to succeed in school, careers, and life.

5 Keys to Successful SEL

Research shows that SEL not only improves achievement by an average of 11 percentile points, but it also increases prosocial behaviors (such as kindness, sharing, and empathy), improves student attitudes toward school, and reduces depression and stress among students (Durlak et al., 2011). Effective social and emotional learning programming involves coordinated classroom, schoolwide, family, and community practices that help students develop the following five key skills :

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness involves understanding one's own emotions, personal goals, and values. This includes accurately assessing one's strengths and limitations, having positive mindsets, and possessing a well-grounded sense of self-efficacy and optimism. High levels of self-awareness require the ability to recognize how thoughts, feelings, and actions are interconnected.

Self-Management

Self-management requires skills and attitudes that facilitate the ability to regulate one's own emotions and behaviors. This includes the ability to delay gratification, manage stress, control impulses, and persevere through challenges in order to achieve personal and educational goals.

Social Awareness

Social awareness involves the ability to understand, empathize, and feel compassion for those with different backgrounds or cultures. It also involves understanding social norms for behavior and recognizing family, school, and community resources and supports.

Relationship Skills

Relationship skills help students establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships, and to act in accordance with social norms. These skills involve communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking help when it is needed.

Responsible Decision Making

Responsible decision making involves learning how to make constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse settings. It requires the ability to consider ethical standards, safety concerns, accurate behavioral norms for risky behaviors, the health and well-being of self and others, and to make realistic evaluation of various actions' consequences.

School is one of the primary places where students learn social and emotional skills. An effective SEL program should incorporate four elements represented by the acronym SAFE (Durlak et al., 2010, 2011):

• Sequenced: connected and coordinated sets of activities to foster skills development
• Active: active forms of learning to help students master new skills
• Focused: emphasis on developing personal and social skills
• Explicit: targeting specific social and emotional skills

The Short- and Long-Term Benefits of SEL

Students are more successful in school and daily life when they:

• Know and can manage themselves
• Understand the perspectives of others and relate effectively with them
• Make sound choices about personal and social decisions

These social and emotional skills are some of several short-term student outcomes that SEL pro­grams promote (Durlak et al., 2011; Farrington et al., 2012; Sklad et al., 2012). Other benefits include:

• More positive attitudes toward oneself, others, and tasks including enhanced self-efficacy, confidence, persistence, empathy, connection and commitment to school, and a sense of purpose
• More positive social behaviors and relationships with peers and adults
• Reduced conduct problems and risk-taking behavior
• Decreased emotional distress
• Improved test scores, grades, and attendance

In the long run, greater social and emotional competence can increase the likelihood of high school graduation, readiness for postsecondary education, career success, positive family and work relationships, better mental health, reduced criminal behavior, and engaged citizenship (e.g., Hawkins, Kosterman, Catalano, Hill, & Abbott, 2008; Jones, Greenberg, & Crowley, 2015).

Building SEL Skills in the Classroom

Promoting social and emotional development for all students in classrooms involves teaching and modeling social and emotional skills, providing opportunities for students to practice and hone those skills, and giving students an opportunity to apply these skills in various situations.

One of the most prevalent SEL approaches involves training teachers to deliver explicit lessons that teach social and emotional skills, then finding opportunities for students to reinforce their use throughout the day. Another curricular approach embeds SEL instruction into content areas such as English language arts, social studies, or math (Jones & Bouffard, 2012; Merrell & Gueldner, 2010; Yoder, 2013; Zins et al., 2004). There are a number of research-based SEL programs that enhance students' competence and behavior in developmentally appropriate ways from preschool through high school (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, 2013, 2015).

Teachers can also naturally foster skills in students through their interpersonal and student-centered instructional interactions throughout the school day. Adult-student interactions support SEL when they result in positive student-teacher relationships, enable teachers to model social-emotional competencies for students, and promote student engagement (Williford & Sanger Wolcott, 2015). Teacher practices that provide students with emotional support and create opportunities for students' voice, autonomy, and mastery experiences promote student engagement in the educational process.

How Schools Can Support SEL

At the school level, SEL strategies typically come in the form of policies, practices, or structures related to climate and student support services (Meyers et al., in press). Safe and positive school climates and cultures positively affect academic, behavioral, and mental health outcomes for students (Thapa, Cohen, Guffey, & Higgins­-D'Alessandro, 2013). School leaders play a critical role in fostering schoolwide activities and policies that promote positive school environments, such as establishing a team to address the building climate; adult modeling of social and emotional competence; and developing clear norms, values, and expectations for students and staff members.

Fair and equitable discipline policies and bullying prevention practices are more effective than purely behavioral methods that rely on reward or punishment (Bear et al., 2015). School leaders can organize activities that build positive relationships and a sense of community among students through structures such as regularly scheduled morning meetings or advisories that provide students with opportunities to connect with each other.

An important component of schoolwide SEL involves integration into multi-tiered systems of support. The services provided to students by professionals such as counselors, social workers, and psychologists should align with universal efforts in the classroom and building. Often through small-group work, student support professionals reinforce and supplement classroom-based instruction for students who need early intervention or more intensive treatment.

Building Family and Community Partnerships

Family and community partnerships can strengthen the impact of school approaches to extending learning into the home and neighborhood. Community members and organizations can support classroom and school efforts, especially by providing students with additional opportunities to refine and apply various SEL skills (Catalano et al., 2004).

After-school activities also provide opportunities for students to connect with supportive adults and peers (Gullotta, 2015). They are a great venue to help youth develop and apply new skills and personal talents. Research has shown that after-school programs focused on social and emotional development can significantly enhance student self-perceptions, school connectedness, positive social behaviors, school grades, and achievement test scores, while reducing problem behaviors (Durlak et al., 2010).

SEL can also be fostered in many settings other than school. SEL begins in early childhood, so family and early childcare settings are important (Bierman & Motamedi, 2015). Higher education settings also have the potential to promote SEL (Conley, 2015).

For more information about the latest advances in SEL research, practice and policy, visit the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning website .

• Bear, G.G., Whitcomb, S.A., Elias, M.J., & Blank, J.C. (2015). "SEL and Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports." In J.A. Durlak, C.E. Domitrovich, R.P. Weissberg, & T.P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning . New York: Guilford Press.
• Bierman, K.L. & Motamedi, M. (2015). "SEL Programs for Preschool Children". In J.A. Durlak, C.E. Domitrovich, R.P. Weissberg, & T.P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning . New York: Guilford Press.
• Catalano, R.F., Berglund, M.L., Ryan, J.A., Lonczak, H.S., & Hawkins, J.D. (2004). "Positive youth development in the United States: Research findings on evaluations of positive youth development programs." The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 591 (1), pp.98-124.
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. (2013). 2013 CASEL Guide: Effective social and emotional learning programs - Preschool and elementary school edition . Chicago, IL: Author.
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. (2015). 2015 CASEL Guide: Effective social and emotional learning programs - Middle and high school edition . Chicago, IL: Author.
• Conley, C.S. (2015). "SEL in Higher Education." In J.A. Durlak, C.E. Domitrovich, R.P. Weissberg, & T.P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning . New York: Guilford Press.
• Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., & Schellinger, K.B. (2011). "The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions." Child Development, 82 , pp.405-432.
• Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., & Pachan, M. (2010). "A meta-analysis of after-school programs that seek to promote personal and social skills in children and adolescents." American Journal of Community Psychology, 45 , pp.294-309.
• Farrington, C.A., Roderick, M., Allensworth, E., Nagaoka, J., Keyes, T.S., Johnson, D.W., & Beechum, N.O. (2012). Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners: The Role of Noncognitive Factors in Shaping School Performance: A Critical Literature Review . Consortium on Chicago School Research.
• Gullotta, T.P. (2015). "After-School Programming and SEL." In J.A. Durlak, C.E. Domitrovich, R.P. Weissberg, & T.P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning . New York: Guilford Press.
• Hawkins, J.D., Kosterman, R., Catalano, R.F., Hill, K.G., & Abbott, R.D. (2008). "Effects of social development intervention in childhood 15 years later." Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 162 (12), pp.1133-1141.
• Jones, D.E., Greenberg, M., & Crowley, M. (2015). "Early social-emotional functioning and public health: The relationship between kindergarten social competence and future wellness." American Journal of Public Health, 105 (11), pp.2283-2290.
• Jones, S.M. & Bouffard, S.M. (2012). "Social and emotional learning in schools: From programs to strategies." Social Policy Report, 26 (4), pp.1-33.
• Merrell, K.W. & Gueldner, B.A. (2010). Social and emotional learning in the classroom: Promoting mental health and academic success . New York: Guilford Press.
• Meyers, D., Gil, L., Cross, R., Keister, S., Domitrovich, C.E., & Weissberg, R.P. (in press). CASEL guide for schoolwide social and emotional learning . Chicago: Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning.
• Sklad, M., Diekstra, R., Ritter, M.D., Ben, J., & Gravesteijn, C. (2012). "Effectiveness of school-based universal social, emotional, and behavioral programs: Do they enhance students' development in the area of skill, behavior, and adjustment?" Psychology in the Schools, 49 (9), pp.892-909.
• Thapa, A., Cohen, J., Gulley, S., & Higgins-D'Alessandro, A. (2013). "A review of school climate research." Review of Educational Research, 83 (3), pp.357-385.
• Williford, A.P. & Wolcott, C.S. (2015). "SEL and Student-Teacher Relationships." In J.A. Durlak, C.E. Domitrovich, R.P. Weissberg, & T.P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning . New York: Guilford Press.
• Yoder, N. (2013). Teaching the whole child: Instructional practices that support social and emotional learning in three teacher evaluation frameworks . Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research Center on Great Teachers and Leaders.
• Zins, J.E., Weissberg, R.P., Wang, M.C., & Walberg, H.J. (Eds.). (2004). Building academic success on social and emotional learning: What does the research say? New York: Teachers College Press.

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Home > Theses, Dissertations, and Senior Projects > Theses and Dissertations > 2248

Theses and Dissertations

Social and emotional learning in the ell classroom: a case study.

Satoko Takeda Kao

Date of Award

January 2017

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Teaching & Learning

First Advisor

Anne Walker

The goal of social-emotional learning (SEL) is to create a safe environment for students to learn in and improve peer relationships, decrease conduct problems and emotional distress, and promote academic achievement. SEL program implementation has grown over the last decade in U.S. schools; however, these programs are designed for general education, not English Language Learner (ELL) students. Furthermore, research on teaching SEL to ELL students is limited.

This study explored what SEL looked like and how bullying prevention and character education programs were adapted in an elementary ELL classroom. The theoretical framework for this study was based on CASEL’s “Five Social and Emotional Learning Core Competencies” (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning [CASEL], 2012, p. 9) and “Four Strategies that Promote SEL” (Dusenbury, Calin, Domitrovich, & Weissberg, 2015, p. 2). This qualitative case study utilized ethnographic data collection methods (Glesne, 2011) including ELL classroom observations focusing on two ELL teachers as well as interviews with ELL teachers, a school counselor and the school principal.

Findings indicate that CASEL’s framework and four approaches to teaching SEL are suitable for teaching SEL to ELL children. However, to meet ELL children’s unique SEL needs, the school and ELL teachers needed to consider both language and cultural background in deciding how to teach SEL and what SEL skills to prioritize.

Key implications of this study include the necessity of a school-wide SEL initiative in which teachers, counselor, and school administrators collaboratively address SEL needs of ELL students, integration of SEL into all aspects of the ELL classroom, teaching English language needed for self-awareness and self-management of emotions and behavior as well as interpersonal conflicts, and the need to assess and prioritize what SEL competencies to teach based on ELL students’ unique needs.

Recommended Citation

Kao, Satoko Takeda, "Social And Emotional Learning In The ELL Classroom: A Case Study" (2017). Theses and Dissertations . 2248. https://commons.und.edu/theses/2248

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Case Studies on Social and Emotional Learning

Sel applications for post-conflict, disarmament, demobilization & reintegration and disaster risk reduction scenarios - rwanda, mozambique, sri lanka.

This paper explores three different cases where a SEL program successfully achieved the short-term goals listed above, in order to showcase various ways to design and implement effective SEL programs in diverse emergency settings. The cases presented were chosen because of their diverse locations, partners (e.g. foreign governments, NGOs, local government agencies), and contexts (e.g. post-conflict, natural disaster, humanitarian crisis etc.). In particular, the following research questions will be investigated:

• How to effectively implement SEL interventions for students living in a variety of different crisis situations?
• What is the most effective space for implementing SEL programs and curriculum, inside or outside of the classroom?
• How important is it to infuse culturally relevant curriculum into the design of the SEL intervention?

Information gathered on the chosen programs was derived from academic studies, internal project assessments and reports from implementing NGOs and partners, as well as personal observations of the author while teaching in Rwanda from 2011-2013. For the Sri Lanka case, consecutive American Red Cross (ARC) reports were used to track growth of program and teacher trainings. Conclusions drawn regarding the success of Save the Children's (STC) reintegration of Mozambican child soldiers referenced the experience of child soldiers in other countries as means of comparison.

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Related resources, study of conflict and educational inequality, study report: governments’ organizational responses to covid-19 – igniting interest and institutional capacity in edtech, improving the quality of school interactions and student well-being.

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Press Release

More than 8 out of 10 U.S. Schools Implement SEL, Nearly All States Have Supportive Policies

New findings also show educators who instruct their students in SEL are more likely to report higher student interest and more positive climates.

A national survey of educators and principals shows a record number of K-12 schools reporting social and emotional learning (SEL) implementation. By the 2023-24 school year, 83 percent of school principals reported that their schools used an SEL curriculum. That number marks a steady increase from 76 percent in the 2021-22 school year and 46 percent in the 2017-2018 school year.

Furthermore, data from the CASEL and RAND report,  Social and Emotional Learning in U.S. Schools: Findings from CASEL’s Nationwide Policy Scan and the American Teacher Panel and American School Leader Panel Surveys ,  show that 49 states and the District of Columbia have at least one supportive policy or condition that actively promotes SEL in schools. Educators working in states with more supportive SEL policies and conditions said that they are more likely to report SEL implementation in their own schools.

“These findings show that educators and leaders nationwide are prioritizing SEL as a critical part of long-term academic recovery, and are undeterred by funding shifts or political divides,” said Dr. Alexandra Skoog-Hoffman, CASEL Senior Director of Research & Learning. “At a time when the nation faces teacher shortages, safety concerns, and attendance crisis, these data suggest that the focus on SEL is making an impact. Our data reinforces decades of evidence that show SEL can contribute to more positive school climates and increase student interest in learning, while supporting educators themselves.”

School leaders’ investment in SEL also has a positive impact on teachers. Report data show that while educators cite funding and lack of support as consistent barriers, greater investment in SEL correlates with teachers feeling like they have the time, professional learning, and community support to implement SEL strategies that benefit students’ learning.

The report also identifies specific state and local policy solutions to ensure educators and school leaders have the support to do their jobs effectively for their students. State policies have an outsized impact on the success of SEL initiatives. In states with supportive SEL policies – such as standalone K-12 SEL standards and integration of SEL into academic content areas – schools report fewer barriers to implementation, more community support, and greater professional learning opportunities for educators.

Based on these latest findings and existing evidence, CASEL calls on policymakers at every level to make SEL a central part of the educational experience for all students.

For more than a decade, CASEL has partnered with districts nationwide to study and scale high-quality SEL. The SEL Fellows Academy is an opportunity to support more leaders in addressing the social and emotional development of their students and educators and scale high-quality practice in their districts across the country.

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