Using an SEL lens to review the vision and/or mission of a school district or organization

This short activity can be led by a superintendent after a presentation about SEL to board members, or by any leader who wants to facilitate a discussion of how/whether SEL is already positioned within the mission and vision of the district, school, or organization.

TAGS school board integrate with district priorities building buy-in for SEL

Create a Stakeholder Map to Support a Strategic Plan for SEL

This tool was made to help district leaders (in particular superintendents and designated SEL leaders) identify key stakeholders and determine how best to bring in their voice and support in the process of strategic planning and continuous improvement for districtwide SEL implementation.

TAGS SEL partnerships human and financial resource alignment implementation plan

SEL Implementation Guide from Austin ISD

In this resource, Austin Independent School District shares an overview of their SEL story, the results they have seen, and tips learned along the way. This presents a detailed and successful model to share with district leaders who are preparing an implementation plan or just beginning to consider investing in SEL.

TAGS implementation plan communications planning building buy-in for SEL

SEL Essentials for Superintendents Webinar

CASEL hosts a discussion on the essential role of superintendents in building a districtwide SEL movement -- VIEW THE WEBINAR AT https://youtu.be/oP-_Rkj-ysg . The webinar dives deeper into the Districtwide SEL Essentials for Superintendents, a new toolkit developed in collaboration with AASA, The School Superintendents Association, to guide and support district leaders, and will highlight two superintendents who have been leading SEL in their communities.

Health Education/SEL Crosswalk

Document aligning CASEL's 5 SEL competencies and related skills to the National Health Education Standards and Performance Indicators, to support educators in planning a skills-based health education curriculum.

TAGS SEL and Academic Integration teacher tool

Sample School Report – Staff Survey on SEL Implementation

To support schools in their process of SEL continuous improvement, provide school leaders with data that gives insight relevant to their SEL goals and action plans. This report is an example of what a district might provide to a school, summarizing staff responses to CASEL's survey on SEL implementation.

TAGS implementation support continuous improvement implementation monitoring

Team Retreats: Centering SEL as You Plan, Facilitate, and Debrief

Use this tool as you plan a half-day to multi-day retreat for your team, to integrate SEL into the way you design the agenda, share opportunities for leadership among team members, facilitate activities, and set up discussions for the team to make meaning of what they have learned and accomplished.

TAGS professional learning district SEL expertise SEL leadership

Systems-Wide Reflection: Indicators of Schoolwide and Districtwide SEL

This chart sets CASEL’s Indicators of Districtwide SEL and Indicators of Schoolwide SEL side by side, with links to further information, suggested implementation processes, and examples. District leaders can use this tool to guide reflection, conversation, and planning about how social and emotional learning (SEL) is integrated throughout systems at the school level and at the district level.

Encouraging Social and Emotional Learning: Next Steps for States

This brief from the Learning Policy Institute provides recommendations for how state agencies can measure and promote SEL in their accountability and continuous improvement plans.

TAGS school board board policies research brief assessment continuous improvement integrate with district priorities

Building Trusting Relationships for School Improvement – Implications for Principals and Teachers

This booklet looks at the importance of trust in school improvement, particularly regarding relationships between teachers and between teachers and administrators. It includes case studies in middle and high schools, a review of relevant research, common obstacles to trust, and actionable strategies for strengthening trust.

TAGS Adult SEL building community