SEL Trends: Integrating with Academics

From CASEL's SEL Trends series, this issue features DuPage County, Nashville, and Sacramento school districts process and strategies for integrating SEL deeply within academic approaches, and includes sample resources from each district.

TAGS SEL and Academic Integration Science english/language arts math social studies CCSS college and career readiness

Austin’s MAPS Course for Freshmen (video)

MAPS (Methods for Academic and Personal Success) is a credit-bearing course for freshmen at Austin High School and other district high schools to support the transition into high school by teaching students how to organize for success, manage their emotions, resolve conflicts, build and maintain positive relationships, and other critical social and emotional learning and student success skills.

TAGS advisory/homeroom high school grades college and career readiness

Metro Nashville Public Schools: Integrating Social, Emotional, and Academic Development (video)

Part of Edutopia's larger feature on Nashville, this video provides an overview of the district's approach to supporting all schools to integrate SEL into school culture and instruction.

TAGS SEL and Academic Integration videos model SEL schools building buy-in for SEL

SEL Data Reflection Protocol

This tool presents a structured reflection process for SEL teams and other district stakeholders to observe trends and discuss ideas for continuous improvement of SEL implementation. It emphasizes the importance of examining data with an equity lens and elevating a range of perspectives when interpreting data.

TAGS implementation support continuous improvement implementation monitoring implementation evaluation

Ready to Lead: Principals’ Perspectives on How Social and Emotional Learning Can Prepare Children and Transform Schools

This report shows widespread support for SEL among K-12 principals, highlights needs for greater state and district support, and provides policy recommendations. It makes a strong case for investing in SEL.

TAGS research brief building buy-in for SEL SEL leadership

Presentation to the Austin ISD Board

CASEL and district SEL leaders co-led this three hour experiential session with the Board to strengthen and formalize support for SEL. Facilitator notes include a link to presentation slides.

TAGS Adult SEL school board building buy-in for SEL

Social and Emotional Learning, Explained (video)

Education Week staff writer Evie Blad briefly and humorously explains some of the core ideas of SEL, how districts approach implementation, and the challenge of measuring SEL -- a simple and neutral video summary for district stakeholders beginning to think about SEL implementation.

What is Social and Emotional Learning? (video)

From CASEL and school district leadership, this video conceptualizes social and emotional learning and describes what it looks, feels and sounds like in educational spaces.

TAGS videos SEL overview building buy-in for SEL SEL leadership

The Impact of Social and Emotional Learning (video)

The research is clear: SEL is essential for academic and life success. In this video, district and CASEL leadership highlight data that demonstrates improvements in attendance, drop out rates, suspensions, expulsions, and academic growth.

TAGS videos define SEL metrics continuous improvement 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