Evidence-based SEL program: Programs grounded in research and principles of child and adolescent development, and scientifically evaluated and shown to produce positive student outcomes. CASEL identifies high-quality evidence-based programs as those that are well-designed to systematically promote students’ social and emotional competence, provide opportunities for practice, offer multi-year programming, and provide high-quality training and ongoing implementation support. School Guide + Program Guide
Expand adult learning through structures such as professional learning communities and mentoring opportunities.
While your team works to align school discipline policies to SEL, it’s important to ensure that all classrooms consistently reinforce a student-centered approach to discipline.
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Before launching an SEL action plan, it’s important to take stock of what is going on across your school and previous SEL-related efforts. Build on your strengths and learn from members of your school community who have seen many initiatives come and go by honoring and reflecting on the work that has come before.
Involve the full school community
Decisions about why and how to implement SEL should be made with the input of the broader school community. Lay the foundations for strong buy-in by ensuring all understand what SEL is and how it connects to their role and what they value. Establish two-way communication structures to invite perspectives, ideas, and feedback from staff, […]
Private: Integrating SEL into Staff and Grade-Level Meetings
SEL practices help improve collaboration and can be embedded into any meeting where staff comes together to help build collaboration. Practices may include intentional opportunities to connect personally, interact in meaningful ways, share appreciations, or take time for reflection.
When instructional practices actively involve students in making meaning of content, they are more deeply engaged in their learning and have meaningful opportunities to practice SEL skills.
Focus Area 1b: Continuous Improvement Connections
The core tool used in this guide is the Schoolwide SEL Implementation Rubric. The rubric provides an overview of a systemic approach to schoolwide SEL, and teams can review it to get a sense of what SEL looks like when it is coordinated across classrooms, the school, homes, and the community.
Establish structures to support consistent two-way SEL communications between the SEL team and all stakeholders.
The collaborative process of developing a vision helps foster a sense of shared ownership over SEL. It asks staff, students, families, and community partners to reflect on why they are doing this work and what they want for their students and their school. An SEL vision statement launches the planning process and guides goal setting, […]