District SEL Best Practices: Cultivating Shared Leadership for Schoolwide SEL

A district SEL leader from Austin, TX describes their leadership structure and approach to supporting SEL implementation through district SEL specialists who provide coaching and training for cohorts of school-based SEL leaders who in turn work with an SEL steering committee that is representative of the broader school community. This model has been shown to significantly improve implementation.

TAGS implementation support SEL coaching for staff implementation plan

District SEL Best Practices: Support Belonging and Explicit SEL Instruction

A district SEL leader from Palm Beach County, FL describes the resource guide they provide to all schools which includes weekly SEL themes to build common language across settings, activities to build community aligned with each theme, and age-differentiated activities for explicitly teaching the week's SEL skill. Schools that have committed to full SEL implementation use an evidence-based program during dedicated SEL time, and all schools are provided with a 5 minute discussion-based lesson.

TAGS distance learning implementation support teacher tool

Sample Schoolwide SEL 101 Presentation

This presentation can be adapted and used to introduce SEL to staff, families, and community partners. It gives an overview of what is SEL, why it’s important, and the process for schoolwide SEL. Talking points and activity instructions are provided in the notes section. Also available in Spanish.

TAGS three signature practices staff onboarding SEL overview classroom level culture and climate professional learning district SEL expertise building buy-in for SEL SEL leadership

Washoe County School District SEL Data Information Site

Washoe's data webpage shares their SEL standards, their formal and informal approaches to measuring SEL growth, and rich, easy to read displays of data.

TAGS student assessment SEL standards define SEL metrics SEL overview communications data dashboards conducting local SEL research building buy-in for SEL family and community engagement

SEL Administrator Academy: Implementing Social and Emotional Learning Systemwide to Improve Student Achievement

Presentation for district and school administrators to connect SEL standards with Common Core and workforce skills and how to implement/monitor district-wide SEL. Includes activities that model SEL and a full presenter script.

TAGS board policies SEL overview implementation plan college and career readiness professional learning integrate with district priorities district SEL expertise building buy-in for SEL SEL leadership