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To succeed in school, students need to be engaged, interested, and excited to be there. They need to know how to focus their attention on their work, keep trying even when they get discouraged or face setbacks, work effectively with other students and adults, and be good communicators and problem-solvers. These skills form a foundation for young people's success not just in school, but in their adult lives as members of the community, as productive workers, and as parents. Research indicates that these skills can be taught by regular classroom teachers in schools of every type to students of every background. Programs that teach these skills are increasingly referred to as "Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)" programs. This report introduces the concept of SEL and the value of SEL for students and schools. The role of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) as an early advocate for SEL education is discussed, highlighting research, publications, studies, and organizational partnerships. (Contains 4 footnotes.).

As knowledge of effective treatments for mental disorders has grown, so too has the field of mental health promotion and positive development. Studies completed during the last two decades have synthesized the state of mental health promotion and documented that universal mental health supports positively affect child and adolescent developmental outcomes. Given schools' ability to access large numbers of children, they are commonly identified as the best place to provide supports to promote the universal mental health of children. This report explains the relationship between mental health and the promotion of social and emotional learning (SEL). Strategies for connecting mental health and SEL in the school setting include: (1) Implementing supportive public policies; (2) Developing safe, caring, and supportive environments; (3) Providing direct instruction for students on skills and strategies; (4) Creating infrastructure for community action; and (5) Coordinating with community agencies, schools, families, and students to create a common vision, language, and coordinated services to support healthy outcomes. A list of resources is included.

As knowledge of effective treatments for mental disorders has grown, so too has the field of mental health promotion and positive development. Studies completed during the last two decades have synthesized the state of mental health promotion and documented that universal mental health supports positively affect child and adolescent developmental outcomes. Given schools' ability to access large numbers of children, they are commonly identified as the best place to provide supports to promote the universal mental health of children. This report explains the relationship between mental health and the promotion of social and emotional learning (SEL). Strategies for connecting mental health and SEL in the school setting include: (1) Implementing supportive public policies; (2) Developing safe, caring, and supportive environments; (3) Providing direct instruction for students on skills and strategies; (4) Creating infrastructure for community action; and (5) Coordinating with community agencies, schools, families, and students to create a common vision, language, and coordinated services to support healthy outcomes. A list of resources is included.

This report provides an overview and description of social and emotional learning (SEL) and service-learning (S-L) as tools to improve the lives and academic performance of students. It describes how the two practices are interrelated, and cites research evidence that supports the expanded use of both practices in the classroom. Also provided are descriptions of the essential elements required of successful SEL and S-L programs, examples of current successful programs, and a discussion of state activities and experiences. Lastly, the brief discusses a series of likely challenges that education leaders implementing SEL and S-L programs could face. The brief offers recommendations and advice for addressing such challenges and provides lists of available resources where more information can be found. It represents the first step of a new partnership of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), the National Center for Learning and Citizenship (NCLC), and the Laboratory for Student Success (LSS). This partnership was formed to assist education leaders in integrating social and emotional learning and service-learning programs and policies into their states, districts and schools.

This report provides an overview and description of social and emotional learning (SEL) and service-learning (S-L) as tools to improve the lives and academic performance of students. It describes how the two practices are interrelated, and cites research evidence that supports the expanded use of both practices in the classroom. Also provided are descriptions of the essential elements required of successful SEL and S-L programs, examples of current successful programs, and a discussion of state activities and experiences. Lastly, the brief discusses a series of likely challenges that education leaders implementing SEL and S-L programs could face. The brief offers recommendations and advice for addressing such challenges and provides lists of available resources where more information can be found. It represents the first step of a new partnership of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), the National Center for Learning and Citizenship (NCLC), and the Laboratory for Student Success (LSS). This partnership was formed to assist education leaders in integrating social and emotional learning and service-learning programs and policies into their states, districts and schools.

This report summarizes results from three large-scale reviews of research on the impact of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs on elementary and middle-school students--that is, programs that seek to promote various social and emotional skills. Collectively the three reviews included 317 studies and involved 324,303 children. SEL programs yielded multiple benefits in each review and were effective in both school and after-school settings and for students with and without behavioral and emotional problems. They were also effective across the K-8 grade range and for racially and ethnically diverse students from urban, rural, and suburban settings. SEL programs improved students' social-emotional skills, attitudes about self and others, connection to school, positive social behavior, and academic performance; they also reduced students' conduct problems and emotional distress. Comparing results from these reviews to findings obtained in reviews of interventions by other research teams suggests that SEL programs are among the most successful youth-development programs offered to school-age youth. Furthermore, school staff (e.g., teachers, student support staff) carried out SEL programs effectively, indicating that they can be incorporated into routine educational practice. In addition, SEL programming improved students' academic performance by 11 to 17 percentile points across the three reviews, indicating that they offer students a practical educational benefit. Given these positive findings, we recommend that federal, state, and local policies and practices encourage the broad implementation of well-designed, evidence-based SEL programs during and after school. (Three appendixes are included: (1) Bibliography of Reviewed Universal Studies; (2) Bibliography of Reviewed Indicated Studies; (3) Bibliography of Reviewed After-School Studies. (Contains 12 tables.) [This report is supported by grants awarded to Roger P. Weissberg and Joseph A. Durlak by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health and the University of Illinois at Chicago.].

This report summarizes results from three large-scale reviews of research on the impact of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs on elementary and middle-school students--that is, programs that seek to promote various social and emotional skills. Collectively the three reviews included 317 studies and involved 324,303 children. SEL programs yielded multiple benefits in each review and were effective in both school and after-school settings and for students with and without behavioral and emotional problems. They were also effective across the K-8 grade range and for racially and ethnically diverse students from urban, rural, and suburban settings. SEL programs improved students' social-emotional skills, attitudes about self and others, connection to school, positive social behavior, and academic performance; they also reduced students' conduct problems and emotional distress. Comparing results from these reviews to findings obtained in reviews of interventions by other research teams suggests that SEL programs are among the most successful youth-development programs offered to school-age youth. Furthermore, school staff (e.g., teachers, student support staff) carried out SEL programs effectively, indicating that they can be incorporated into routine educational practice. In addition, SEL programming improved students' academic performance by 11 to 17 percentile points across the three reviews, indicating that they offer students a practical educational benefit. Given these positive findings, we recommend that federal, state, and local policies and practices encourage the broad implementation of well-designed, evidence-based SEL programs during and after school. (Three appendixes are included: (1) Bibliography of Reviewed Universal Studies; (2) Bibliography of Reviewed Indicated Studies; (3) Bibliography of Reviewed After-School Studies. (Contains 12 tables.) [This report is supported by grants awarded to Roger P. Weissberg and Joseph A. Durlak by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health and the University of Illinois at Chicago.].

This guide was developed to provide educators with information about nationally available programs for the classroom that promote social and emotional learning (SEL). It details the costs, the grades covered, evidence base, which most effectively teach core social and emotional skills, and which provide high-quality staff development and support. Information is presented in "consumer report" format, along with narrative description of each program. The guide can be used by schools or districts beginning work in this area to assist in planning and selection of a strong, evidence-based program. For programs already underway, the guide can help augment existing efforts. (Contains 3 figures and 1 table.) [A CD-ROM is available.].

Parents and schools working together to build students' social, emotional, and academic skills can accomplish far more than either group working alone. Both schools and parents can contribute in unique ways to make the partnership fruitful. Handouts included with this packet offer small things that all parents can consider doing. When done on a regular basis with children, these actions can make a significant difference in children's well-being and social and emotional learning (SEL). Handouts include: "10 Things You Can Do at Home," "10 Things You Can Do with Your School," "Tips for Parents," and "'Books for Parents." Parents' views on SEL programs being used at their children's schools based on a series of interviews with parents, and suggested resources are also included.

Parents and schools working together to build students' social, emotional, and academic skills can accomplish far more than either group working alone. Both schools and parents can contribute in unique ways to make the partnership fruitful. Handouts included with this packet offer small things that all parents can consider doing. When done on a regular basis with children, these actions can make a significant difference in children's well-being and social and emotional learning (SEL). Handouts include: "10 Things You Can Do at Home," "10 Things You Can Do with Your School," "Tips for Parents," and "'Books for Parents." Parents' views on SEL programs being used at their children's schools based on a series of interviews with parents, and suggested resources are also included.

This brief shares the latest research on the effects of social and emotional learning (SEL) on students and includes strategies for implementing SEL. It explains how SEL works, elaborates on how SEL can be an integrative prevention framework that addresses the Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) core elements, and spells out implications of the research for SS/HS grantees. Several hundred well-designed studies have documented the effects of SEL programming on students of diverse backgrounds, from preschool through high school, in urban, suburban, and rural settings. The research indicates that well-planned and well-implemented SEL programming can positively affect a broad range of student social, health, behavioral, and academic outcomes. (Contains 22 endnotes, 1 figure and 1 table.).

This document describes the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) implementation process and key factors influencing its success. The process is described first in a one-page graphic, then in a brief summary, and finally through presentation of the full rubric. All three show a sequence of ten steps over three phases of implementation, along with a set of ongoing sustainability factors in every phase that serve to enrich and sustain SEL programming. The summary and full rubric also provide key indicators and rationales for each step. Finally, the full rubric describes levels of performance for each indicator to illustrate stages of progress to determine where a school stands in the implementation process, where it might go next, and how to get there. Throughout, the rubric is derived from the literature on research and practice not only on SEL and prevention but also on broader school change and reform. Thus the rubric can be applied to a variety of school change efforts.