Social-emotional development and well-being are integral to the teaching and learning of literacy practices. This introductory brief focuses on the underlying science of how thinking, feeling, and perceptions along multiple dimensions interact to influence what we do as learners. This brief draws on the work of scholars in the fields of…

We are at a pivotal time in our country. As reading achievement declines pre-and post-COVID-19, large portions of our nation's students continue to be underserved by our education system while many teachers do not have needed support to provide evidence-based literacy instruction (NAEP, 2024). In this white paper, the Collaborative for Academic,…

Research indicates that establishing collaborative partnerships between educators and families and using complementary strategies to promote learning in school and at home create optimal conditions to promote student's academic, social, and emotional skill development (Albright et al., 2011). As reflected in the Collaborative for Academic, Social,…

This paper explores insights from the Building Equitable Learning Environment network's (BELE) equity initiatives in partner districts. It focuses on the critical importance of cultivating and sustaining relationships with caregivers and community stakeholders. Given the roles parents and caregivers play in a child's education as their first…

The CASEL Collaborating States Initiative (CSI) observed that state policymakers who have created foundational policies to advance social and emotional learning (SEL) often become interested, as a next step, in creating a statewide community of practice (CoP) to engage districts and schools around a shared vision to promote implementation of SEL.…

The SEL Innovations series aims to help the field imagine new, more expansive and equitable approaches to SEL and wellness to ensure that all children, adolescents, and adults feel safe, supported, and seen so that they can thrive. This report focuses on the conditions and guiding actions to foster authentic school-family partnerships. Research…

This document is designed to help guide the process of developing, implementing, and sustaining social and emotional learning (SEL) policies and practices by state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs) that want to implement SEL policies and guidelines. Based on their extensive experience supporting state and district…

The Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Innovations series aims to help the field imagine new, more expansive and equitable approaches to SEL and wellness to ensure that all children, adolescents, and adults feel safe, supported, and seen so that they can thrive. This is the third report in the series and focuses on building safe and supportive…

The second of three "bright spot" briefs examines how states are leveraging ARP funds to improve SEL for all students through collaboration among schools, families, and communities. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) provided a $122 billion historic federal investment in K-12 education to help states and districts safely reopen…

How can districts weave social and emotional learning throughout their work to foster a systemwide culture of connection and trust? This was a key question for district leaders of Atlanta Public Schools (APS), which serves 87 schools and 52,000 students. When a districtwide cheating scandal in 2011 was uncovered, it may have been the expected…

This brief offers a case study focused on Guilford County Schools (GCS), a public school district in North Carolina, to illuminate the role of continuous improvement through a "research-practice partnership" (RPP). RPPs offer a unique collaborative experience with a dual benefit: practitioners get the chance to collaborate in research…

The SEL Innovations series aims to help the field imagine new, more expansive and equitable approaches to social and emotional learning (SEL) and wellness to ensure that all children, adolescents, and adults feel safe, supported, and seen so that they can thrive. This is the second report in a series exploring innovations in SEL. The purpose of…

The purpose of this brief is to introduce a developmental framework for states working to systematically integrate evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) with career and workforce development efforts. Career and workforce development is a well-known, nonpartisan strategy for preparing students for postsecondary success in schools.…

Educators--and all adults in the school--are critical for fostering students' self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Educators can teach and model SEL in lessons; for example, promoting critical thinking in a math lesson and encouraging students to engage with challenging content.…

An important way for young people to practice social and emotional learning (SEL) is by sharing their perspectives, leading discussions, and contributing to decision-making. By listening closely to students' perspectives, educators better understand students' strengths and needs, build stronger relationships with them, and can offer more…