This AddyPres Foundation brief was developed from the direction of a series of documents & briefs created with the Collaborative for Social Emotional Learning (CASEL), Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University (Dusenbury, L. & Weissberg, R.P (2017). “Social Emotional Learning in Elementary School: Preparation for Success.”), The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Committee for Children, Berkley University, Harvard University & The George Lucas Education Foundation among many other noteworthy organizations. Their efforts address the need for research, practice and policy on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) with a statewide systemic approach, for which the AddyPres Foundation works to support awareness, resources and tools to facilitate. SEL is defined as the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Their collaborative efforts, compelling and extensive body of research inclusive of replications and longitudinal follow-ups, a meta-analysis including 213 rigorous studies over 270,000 students now shows that SEL programs can promote long term benefits in academic achievement, behaviors, attitudes and skills; better preparing students for success in life and the 21^st century workforce. Research conducted also concludes that SEL is critical to student success and shows a positive economic return on investment.

CASEL has identified 5 inter-related sets of cognitive, affective and behavioral competencies that comprise Social Emotional Learning

Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision Making. These skills contribute to the long-term benefits as noted above.

CASEL research has developed clear guidelines for Effective SEL Programs:

Use four general approaches, addressing everything from individual student instruction to overall school climate. The four program approaches:

• Are evidence-based with appropriate programming for different grade levels
• Are enhanced by partnering with families. There is growing evidence base that school-family partnerships enhance students’ school achievement and positive behavior. Albright & Weissberg identify 3 types of school-family partnership activities that are especially helpful in organizing SEL, including: empowering families to be effectively involved in their children’s education, family involvement at home that extends & reinforces school-based learning, & family involvement at school that engages families to participate in activities.
• Are culturally and linguistically sensitive
• Include the implementation of high quality teacher training and professional development.

Have four distinct, often inter-related, approaches that are effective in promoting SEL development:

• Free-standing lessons that provide step by step instructions to teach students SEL competencies. (lessons that help students identify and effectively label their feelings, goal setting, communication and decision making).
• General teaching practices that promote SEL in the classroom and campus
• Integration of SEL skill instruction & general teaching practices. (ex. integrating SEL lessons with language arts, social studies, science or math)
• Establishment of leadership, organizational structure and policy that supports systemic SEL.

Require high quality implementation for program success

• High quality implementation, meaning implementing the Evidence-Based Programs, as presented by CASEL’s extensive 2013 Elementary School Guide, as intended by its developers.
• A recent review concluded, “SEL interventions do not work if they are adopted but not fully utilized in the classroom…the efficacy of SEL practices hinges on high fidelity of implementation.”

Concluding Statement

The goal of education is to prepare students--- academically, socially and emotionally for success, now and in the future. Research over the past two decades has provided substantial evidence regarding how to create effective educational approaches, programs and practices to support student SEL. Research findings and policy developments, including an increasing number of states and districts articulating explicit goals for student SEL, support the following recommendations:

• Adopt evidence-based SEL programs and activities in order to improve social, emotional and academic success
• Provide teachers and administrators with ongoing professional development and coaching to ensure high quality implementation
• Support and reinforce student SEL school-wide and in family & community partnerships
• Create state, district and school policies and guidelines to help insure that learning goals for SEL are well-developed and aligned with elementary education more broadly.

The AddyPres Foundation’s efforts & actions support CASEL research-based recommendations, spanning support through school, family & community outreach & awareness for successful systemic SEL programs & SEL development in children. We work with CASEL to promote, utilize and put into action their tools and directives.