CHICAGO – The challenges of the pandemic and the recent influx of federal relief funding have fueled surging demand for social and emotional learning (SEL) in schools. As a result, many education leaders are inundated with program options and in need of tools to make informed decisions.
To help school and district leaders select evidence-based SEL programs that best meet the needs of their communities, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has released a 2022 update to The CASEL Program Guide to Effective Social and Emotional Learning Programs.
Given the strong evidence of benefits to a wide range of student outcomes, many education leaders are looking to adopt SEL programming to support academic acceleration, mental health, trauma-sensitive learning environments, workforce readiness, and other key priorities. The CASEL Guide to SEL Programs provides a free Consumer Reports-style tool to help education leaders select high-quality programs based on their local goals and needs. The updated report features nine new additions, bringing the total number of included SEL programs to 86.
“While it is hard to ignore the toll that the last two years have taken on our students and educators, this challenging time presents a unique opportunity for students to put into action the social and emotional competencies that allow them to respond with resilience to challenges,” said Erin Bogan, Director of Evaluation Research at CASEL. “Now more than ever, evidence-based SEL programming provides a sustainable way for schools to create supportive environments and help students exercise the skills that will follow them into adulthood.”
To ensure all students have high-quality, consistent opportunities to learn and practice social and emotional skills, district and school leaders need to identify evidence-based programs that have been shown effective using rigorous scientific standards. SEL programs are not one-size-fits-all, which is why CASEL’s Guide to SEL Programs allows users to search programs in terms of local priorities, compare programs, and determine opportunities for professional learning and implementation support for school and district staff.
Programs in the guide are designated as ‘SELect’ (met or exceeded all criteria), ‘Promising’ (met or exceeded most criteria), or ‘SEL-Supportive’ (met evidence criteria but did not fully meet design criteria). Learn more about the inclusion criteria at: https://pg.casel.org/faqs/
Among the nine new additions, five were deemed ‘SELect’ and four were deemed ‘Promising’:
New ‘SELect’ programs:
- Emotional ABCs Premium Schools
- Mindful Practices & Class Catalyst
- Passport
- Peer Group Connection – High School
- SPARK Pre-teen Mentoring Curriculum
New ‘Promising’ programs:
- Adventures Aboard the S.S. Grin
- The Character Effect
- GiveThx
- Ripple Effects for Teens
Learn more at: https://pg.casel.org/
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