5 Powerful New Studies on Teacher Competence, Preparation, and Adult SEL From the SEL Journal

Key Points

• Selected by the managing editor of Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy (otherwise known as the SEL Journal), these five must-read articles highlight the pivotal role of educators in advancing social and emotional learning (SEL) within schools and teacher preparation.
• Together, they underscore that educator competencies are multifaceted, encompassing not only the delivery of SEL instruction but also teachers’ own social-emotional competence (SEC), their multicultural efficacy, and their perceptions of the policies that shape school contexts.
• Collectively, these studies reinforce that supporting educators—through training, policy, and system-wide investment—is central to ensuring SEL fulfills its promise of fostering thriving, resilient, and equitable learning environments.

Article 1: Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of state legislation related to SEL, gender and sexuality, race and racism, and firearms at school

Key Takeaways:

• Pre-service teachers viewed recent education-related legislation (restricting SEL, gender/sexuality, race/racism, and permitting firearms in schools) as both stressful and harmful to students’ well-being.
• Across topics, pre-service teachers were most united in opposing restrictions on SEL, showing strong support for SEL’s value.
• Approximately one-third of participants reported these legislative efforts caused them “a lot” or “a great deal” of stress.
• Teachers’ political affiliation predicted support: Democratic-leaning teachers reported less support and more concern about negative student impacts, though stress levels were high across political lines.

Braun, S. S., & Hooper, A. L. (2025). Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of state legislation related to SEL, gender and sexuality, race and racism, and firearms at school: A source of stress and concerns about student well-being. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy. Advance online publication.

Copy & paste to share on social: New in SEL: Research, Practice & Policy: Pre-service teachers report stress & student harm from laws restricting SEL, gender/sexuality, race/racism, & allowing firearms in schools. Strongest opposition: anti-SEL laws. #SEL 👉 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100139

Article 2: The role of educators in school-based social and emotional learning

Key Takeaways

1. Educator SEL includes three domains: delivering direct instruction, integrating SEL into teaching practices, and developing their own SEL competencies to model and sustain well-being.
2. Teacher well-being and emotional regulation are foundational for creating supportive classroom climates and student engagement.
3. Programs like CARE and RULER demonstrate that supporting educators’ SEL leads to improved teacher well-being, classroom interactions, and student outcomes.
4. School- and system-level supports, including professional development and positive leadership, are essential to sustain educator SEL.

Elbertson, N. A., Jennings, P. A., & Brackett, M. A. (2025). The role of educators in school-based social and emotional learning. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 6, 100134.

Copy & paste to share on social: Educator SEL matters 🌱 Teachers as learners, role models, & infusers create thriving classrooms. New article outlines a model for integrating SEL across educator practice. #SEL 👉 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100134

Article 3: Teacher competencies that promote equity

Key Takeaways

• Academic and discipline gaps in U.S. schools are partly linked to underdeveloped teacher multicultural efficacy (MCE) and social-emotional competence (SEC).
• Findings from 231 K–6 teachers show MCE and SEC are related but distinct constructs—they overlap but are not identical.
• Teachers with stronger SEC (empathy, perspective-taking, self-regulation) may also demonstrate stronger multicultural efficacy.
• Embedding both SEC and MCE in teacher preparation is critical to reduce disparities and promote equity for students of color.

Ura, S. K., DuBois, J. W., Fletcher, K. E., & Lorah, J. A. (2025). Teacher competencies that promote equity: Examining the relationship between social-emotional competence and multicultural efficacy. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 5, 100121.

Copy & paste to share on social: 📘 New study! Teachers’ social-emotional competence & multicultural efficacy are related but distinct—both essential for equitable classrooms. Embedding both in teacher prep can help close gaps. #SEL 👉 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100121

Article 4: Teachers’ perceived social-emotional competence as a vital mechanism of adult SEL

Key Takeaways

1. Teachers’ perceived social-emotional competence (SEC)—their belief in their ability to manage social-emotional interactions—is foundational for teacher well-being, classroom climate, and effective SEL implementation.
2. Perceived SEC is distinct from actual skills: it reflects self-beliefs about capability, which strongly motivate behavior and outcomes.
3. Empirical studies show that teachers with higher perceived SEC report greater well-being, professional growth, and lower turnover intentions.
4. Supporting teachers’ perceived SEC through reflection, leadership support, and targeted training may strengthen adult SEL and student outcomes.

Collie, R. J., Sáez-Delgado, F. M., & Granziera, H. (2025). Teachers’ perceived social-emotional competence as a vital mechanism of adult SEL. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 5, 100117.

Copy & paste to share on social: Teachers’ beliefs in their own #SEL competence matter. New research shows perceived SEC supports teacher well-being, professional growth & classroom climate. Strengthening adult SEL is vital! 🌱👉 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100117

Article 5: Implementation of transformative SEL standards for preparing future educators

Key Takeaways

1. Oregon developed transformative SEL (TSEL) standards for Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) to ensure future teachers are equipped to promote equity, identity development, and resilience in schools.
2. Faculty with strong SEL knowledge and personal experiences connected to equity were better positioned to integrate the standards into their teaching.
3. Implementation facilitators included leadership support, professional development, and collaborative networks like the Oregon Collaborative for SEL in Educator Preparation (OCSEP).
4. Barriers included competing academic priorities, limited faculty time, high staff turnover, and challenges in sustaining institutional buy-in.

Rush, K., Hata, M., Hon, D., & Vega O’Neil, L. (2025). Implementation of transformative SEL standards for preparing future educators. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 5, 100115.

Copy & paste to share on social: How can we prepare teachers for transformative #SEL? 🌱A new case study explores Oregon’s implementation of SEL standards in educator prep programs—highlighting facilitators, barriers & lessons for equity-driven practice. 👉 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100115

You can read these full research papers and more in the SEL Journal.

Denise Buote is the managing editor of Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy and the director of Arbor Educational and Clinical Consulting Inc. She holds a master’s degree in clinical social work and a Ph.D. in education and has extensive experience in school and community-based research and evaluation. Her work spans provincial, national, and international levels, emphasizing the intersection of education, mental health and well-being, and social and emotional learning.

Related Posts

• May 2025: 5 Powerful New Studies on Teacher Well-Being From the SEL Journal
• April 2025: 5 Must-Read Articles from the SEL Journal
• SEL Journal Recap: 3 Things We Learned About Culturally Sustaining SEL in the Classroom

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