Often, when reviewing resources, programs, or assessments, we might come across terms like “evidence-based” or “research-based.” These terms each tell us something about the resources that they describe and the evidence supporting them. Understanding each term’s meaning can help us make informed decisions when selecting and implementing resources.So what do these terms mean, exactly? Typically, [...]
How to Secure Funding for Your SEL Program A top challenge many schools face when implementing a social and emotional learning (SEL) program is finding adequate, long-term funding. Staff planning time and training, quality SEL curriculum and assessments, and implementation consultants are all important components of any successful SEL program, but they do require [...]
Spring is almost here, and soon students will be taking college entrance exams and planning for life after high school. Research shows most schools are not doing enough to help students succeed after high school. Students often struggle with post-secondary coursework, and many lack the social and emotional skills needed to thrive in higher education [...]
Best Practices for Writing SEL Goals for IEPs It’s no secret that students with disabilities can struggle socially and have difficulty managing their emotions. Sometimes these deficits can impact their ability to learn and thrive in the classroom and beyond. Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are used to support students with special needs. They outline [...]
Many forms of violence occur in schools every day — school shootings, bullying, gang violence, and fights are all too common. A number of factors contribute to these violent acts, including mental health issues, dysfunctional environments at home or in the community, bullying, or lack of strong social and emotional skills. Our children deserve [...]
Actionable social-emotional data is an important part of any SEL (social and emotional learning) program. Quality, research-based SEL assessments can help you achieve the best implementation results and can help educators streamline instruction, tailor supports to achieve predefined learning goals, and effectively measure outcomes. But not all SEL assessments are created equal. When selecting [...]
“Rater bias” is present when a significant amount of variation in an assessment’s scores can be attributed to factors related to the person completing the assessment, rather than factors related to the skills being assessed. For example, consider a teacher-completed assessment of students’ SEL skills. If all male teachers tend to rate students as exhibiting [...]
Launch an SEL Program in 8 Steps (And Start Today!) A national survey shows that principals understand the importance of teaching social and emotional skills to youth, and for good reason. Social and emotional learning (SEL) helps students get ready to learn and increases student achievement through better grades, fewer behavior incidents, and higher graduation [...]
