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.

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

Strengthening Students’ Social and Emotional Skills: Lessons from Six Case Studies of Schools and Their Out-of-School-Time Program Partners

This report outlines lessons from six communities that have focused on SEL partnerships between schools and out-of-school time community partner organizations. Detailed case examples feature collaborative projects on a variety of SEL topics in Boston, Dallas, Denver, Palm Beach County, Tacoma, and Tulsa.

TAGS community partnerships SEL partnerships out of school

SEL Toolkit for School Boards

A quick guide for school board members to help ground SEL conversations in the best interests of students and families, including tools to dispel misinformation with facts and data, then take action to support the social, emotional, and academic learning of every child.

TAGS school board board policies community relations

SEL Inventory – Elementary Interview

This interview protocol was used by evaluators at elementary school sites in Sacramento City to gather baseline data on the implementation of SEL programs and practices. Includes handouts that were provided to interviewees.

TAGS assessment evidence-based programs school visit/observation tool elementary school grades data dashboards conducting local SEL research implementation monitoring implementation evaluation

Funding Case Study: Washoe County School District

CASEL's case study of Washoe County School District describes funding sources for their SEL work, budget strategies that other districts can apply, and tables and graphs of SEL expenditures.

TAGS budgeting implementation support SEL partnerships fundraising human and financial resource alignment

Oakland School Board Policy on SEL

Policy stating that SEL underlies all district priorities in Oakland, and intent to implement SEL standards, change the mission statement, provide PD, adopt curricula, and measure SEL growth.

TAGS school board SEL standards board policies assessment college and career readiness culture and climate professional learning integrate with district priorities SEL leadership

The Impact of Enhancing Students’ Social Emotional Learning: A Meta-Analysis of School-Based Universal Interventions

Meta-analysis showing that compared to controls, participants in school-based SEL programs demonstrated improved skills and an 11 percentile point gain in achievement.

TAGS journal article reading lists - staff SEL competence evidence-based programs district SEL expertise building buy-in for SEL

Webinar: The Role of Family and Community Partnerships in School-based Social and Emotional Learning Programs

Includes findings from the Social and Emotional Learning Interventions Under the ESSA: Evidence Review, focusing specifically on what the review found related to family and community engagement, and a presentation from a district administrator. Hosted by REL Northeast & Islands

TAGS family partnerships community partnerships SEL partnerships parent leadership evidence-based programs community relations out of school family and community engagement

SEL Partnership between Denver Public Schools and the Denver After-school Alliance

2 page flyer summarizing the plan for infusing evidence-based SEL throughout all grade levels in schools, afterschool, and in summer programs throughout Denver.

TAGS community partnerships SEL partnerships SEL overview out of school family and community engagement