To help state boards of education and other policymakers learn how to communicate most effectively on policies related to social and emotional learning (SEL), the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) commissioned Edge Research to conduct a survey of community influ­encers in Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, and Washington to gauge their understanding of SEL and their support for embedding SEL in K-12 instruction. These five states were part of a state network convened by NASBE in 2018 to examine the successes and challenges of implementing SEL through state education systems and develop state policies that fit local contexts. According to new survey research from NASBE, influential stakeholders view social and emotional learning (SEL) favorably and are primed for conversations with state boards of education working to advance SEL policies. While most community influencers agree that SEL can produce many benefits, they also expressed reservations around standards, teacher support, and labeling of students, the survey finds.