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

SEL Alignment Tools

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction invited SEL program providers to share crosswalks to show the alignment between their evidence-based programs and Wisconsin's SEL standards. This page includes information about each program, alignment charts, and webinars to introduce program consultants.

TAGS SEL standards evidence-based programs

Thompson School District Strategic Plan

Thompson School District in Loveland, Colorado, deeply imbeds SEL throughout their strategic plan, Strive 2025. The plan includes a Portrait of a Graduate, which guides their SEL vision and the development of SEL standards describing what a student should know and be able to do.

TAGS implementation plan planning SEL leadership

Develop a Long-term SEL Implementation Roadmap

This tool provides a template and step-by-step instructions to help district SEL teams develop a three to five-year roadmap for SEL implementation to achieve the district’s long-term SEL goals and shared vision.

TAGS define SEL metrics implementation plan planning

Michigan’s Free Online SEL Training

The Michigan Department of Education in partnership with Michigan Virtual offers 5 self-paced courses (available to all but credit awarded only to MDE certificate holders) including an introduction to SEL, culturally responsive classrooms, embedding SEL schoolwide, creating professional culture based on SEL, and trauma-informed support.

TAGS Adult SEL trauma culturally responsive professional learning

Guiding Questions for Educators: Promoting Equity Using SEL in your School

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 school-level educators to explore the CASEL core competencies through an equity lens.

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

TAGS cultural competence Adult SEL equity culturally responsive

An Introduction to SEL online course

CASEL's free, one-hour, virtual learning experience includes reflection prompts, videos, and application activities to introduce SEL to staff members, caregivers, community partners, or anyone interested in SEL.

TAGS Adult SEL teacher training communications professional learning

What Is SEL? A Two-Page Summary

This example from a school division in southeastern Virginia provides a quick and accessible look at the 5 SEL competencies, benefits of SEL, and ways school staff support SEL.

TAGS communications community relations building buy-in for SEL

Readiness Considerations for Schoolwide SEL

This reflection tool outlines readiness considerations that could benefit a school community embarking on the process of building a schoolwide SEL effort, and can be useful to district leaders preparing to guide a cohort of schools with SEL implementation. Many of these readiness factors can be reinforced over time and/or built while the school community works towards systemic SEL.

TAGS implementation support model SEL schools professional learning

SEL Coach Job Description

Job description for an SEL coach who leads SEL professional development and coaching for a portfolio of schools.

TAGS job descriptions hiring practices implementation support SEL coaching for staff human and financial resource alignment SEL leadership