Families as Partners Manual

Families as Partners (FAP) is an Austin ISD initiative funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation with the goal of creating sustainable and effective school-family partnerships for academic success. The initiative is grounded in the principle that authentic engagement flourishes when families and faculty build trusting relationships and see each other as equal partners.

TAGS family partnerships parent leadership

The Academic Impact of Responsiveness to Student Voice

A study of Chicago Public Schools found that academic performance is related to schools' responsiveness to student concerns. This research brief shares how outcomes were measured and why these may be connected.

TAGS student leadership research brief youth voice

Student Voice Resources from Chicago

Chicago Public Schools Department of Student Voice and Engagement shares resources for district schools to elevate student voice, learn from students, and build stronger student-adult partnerships.

TAGS student leadership continuous improvement youth voice

Districtwide SEL Program and Initiative Inventory

This tool is designed to help district social and emotional learning (SEL) teams learn about past and current SEL-related work being implemented across the district. In combination with the Districtwide SEL Implementation Rubric, this tool serves as a needs and resources assessment to bridge the gap between the district's shared vision and long-term SEL goals and an implementation plan.

TAGS needs and resources assessment implementation plan continuous improvement planning

2011 to 2021: 10 Years of SEL in U.S. School Districts

Ten years ago, CASEL began collaborating with school district SEL leaders to explore the question - Is it possible to implement SEL systemically to positively impact students across a large urban school district? Not only did districts demonstrate that it was possible, but every district has deepened and expanded SEL implementation since joining the collaborative. This anniversary report details 6 key insights from these districts about how they were able to sustain SEL over the long term, even as the people and contexts within the district changed.

Fellowship Spotlight – Spreading the Word About SEL

SEL Fellow and district leader in Florida Daniel Shapiro describes the effort to communicate about the what, why, and how of SEL in a persuasive and accessible way. Visit https://casel.org/series/sel-fellows-briefs/ for more briefs from SEL Fellows.

School Strengths Inventory

This strengths inventory will help a school-based SEL team determine which strategies are being used at all levels of schoolwide SEL: SEL curriculum & instruction, schoolwide practice & policies, and family & community-level partnerships.

TAGS needs and resources assessment conducting local SEL research continuous improvement PK-12 implementation monitoring implementation evaluation instructional practices classroom level culture and climate MTSS out of school student discipline youth voice

Teacher Self-Assessment: SEL in the Classroom

Tool to reflect and set goals for bringing SEL into classroom practices and interactions. Focuses on the areas of explicit SEL instruction, SEL integration with academic instruction, and supportive classroom climate.

TAGS SEL and Academic Integration Science english/language arts math social studies arts lesson planning teacher tool toolkit culturally responsive teacher training PK-12 instructional practices youth voice

Guiding Questions for Educators: Promote Equity Using SEL in your District

When social and emotional learning (SEL) is implemented with a culturally responsive lens, educators can use SEL to cultivate equitable learning opportunities, responsive relationships, and inclusive practices. This resources features reflection questions for district-level educators to explore the CASEL core competencies through an equity lens.

See also: Guiding Questions for Educators: Promote Equity Using SEL in your School

TAGS cultural competence Adult SEL equity culturally responsive

SEL Trends: Reorganizing District Central Offices

From CASEL's SEL Trends series, this issue highlights ways districts' organizational structure has shifted to house SEL staff within departments dedicated to teaching and learning, as a reflection of the priority to integrate SEL with academics and yield benefits for all schools and students.

TAGS SEL and Academic Integration district organizational charts human and financial resource alignment integrate with district priorities