Reflecting on Equity-Centered SEL Leadership Practices

Use this tool as a personal reflection on your leadership habits. These prompts are intended to spark your curiosity about your current practices and how you can be intentional about developing equity-centered leadership skills.

TAGS equity SEL leadership

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

Oakland’s Leadership Growth and Development System Principal Handbook

Handbook detailing each dimension of the principal evaluation framework, with categories including "Leadership for Healthy Relationships and Culture" and "Leadership for Equity".

TAGS board policies human and financial resource alignment equity culture and climate integrate with district priorities SEL leadership

Integrating Social, Emotional, and Academic Development (SEAD): An Action Guide for School Leadership Teams

The guide provides practical advice, curated resources, and action steps for school leaders to improve the student experience, calling out specific equity implications in every section to give these issues priority in planning.

TAGS Adult SEL equity culturally responsive culture and climate

Interview Questions for Superintendent Candidates and other District Leadership

Sample interview questions for superintendent candidates to understand their experience, vision, depth of knowledge, and prioritization of SEL.

TAGS hiring practices staff onboarding human and financial resource alignment integrate with district priorities

A Case for School Connectedness

Short article from Educational Leadership describing the impact of strong school connectedness on academic achievement, behavior, absenteeism, and school completion, as well as and practices that enhance it.

TAGS bullying prevention mental health journal article relationship skills research brief advisory/homeroom middle school grades high school grades culture and climate building community integrate with district priorities

CASEL’s Self-Reflection Tool for Instructional Practices that Promote SEL

A self-reflection tool for teachers to consider ways in which they are already using practices that develop social and emotional skills in their classroom, and to expand their use of SEL integration strategies.

TAGS SEL and Academic Integration teacher tool social awareness self awareness self management relationship skills responsible decision making teacher training implementation monitoring instructional practices classroom level

SEL Rollout in Austin

Austin's sample process for growing a cohort of SEL leadership schools and expanding the scope of SEL work at each over time.

TAGS SEL coaching for staff implementation plan PK-12 professional learning planning

Making SEL Assessment Work: Ten Practitioner Beliefs

The National Practitioner Advisory Group, convened by CASEL and AIR as part of the work of the Assessment Work Group, share a statement of 10 beliefs about assessing SEL, actions to achieve each belief, and reflection questions for leadership teams.

TAGS student assessment define SEL metrics assessment

Chicago School Climate Standards and Self-Assessment

The Chicago Public Schools' School Climate Standards includes 17 key indicators organized into four domains: School-wide Environment and Leadership, Physical and Emotional Safety, Relational Trust, and Teaching and Learning. This document also includes a self-assessment to support school-level continuous improvement and resources to include student voice assessing school climate.

TAGS define SEL metrics implementation monitoring culture and climate youth voice