Equity Connections to SEL Competencies
CASEL’s SEL framework fosters knowledge, skills, and attitudes across five areas of competence and multiple key settings to establish equitable learning environments that advance students’ learning and development.
The CASEL 5 SEL competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making promote knowledge, skills, and attitudes that support lifelong success and advance educational equity and excellence.
For example, self-awareness can help students and adults reflect on their personal and social identities and examine prejudices and biases. Social awareness and relationship skills includes developing cultural competency and can promote more inclusive learning environments that affirm the strengths and experiences of all individuals, including those who have been marginalized in our education systems. Self-management and responsible decision-making include setting collective goals and taking action to improve community well-being.
These competencies can also support students and adults in building more meaningful relationships where they can critically examine and interrupt inequitable policies and practices in their schools or districts, analyze social problems in the broader community, and work together to co-create solutions and take collective action. In this way, SEL competencies can cultivate change agents and leaders who will meaningfully contribute to their communities and the world.
Explore the five core competencies in CASEL’s interactive framework.
Download the CASEL Framework (PDF)
Download reflection questions to explore the CASEL core competencies through an equity lens.