In the ever-changing education landscape, MTSS, PBIS, and effective student support systems have emerged as essential tools for academic achievement, social-emotional growth, and overall wellbeing.

In the past few years, students have experienced a dramatic increase in mental health concerns including anxiety, depression, and behavior disorders. School-based programs focused on building social and emotional skills can proactively support students' mental health.

Navigating the complexities of college life and the professional realm demands not only technical skills but also a strong foundation of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, effective communication, and interpersonal skills. This unique combination—social and emotional skills—empowers individuals to adapt to changing environments, collaborate effectively, and thrive in various personal and professional contexts.

Creating safe, positive, growth-oriented learning environments is crucial to building healthy school cultures. Strengthening social and emotional skills is the first step in cultivating a positive school climate and culture. It draws students back into the classroom, helps educators bridge the gap in learning, and fuses academic achievements with skills needed for lifelong success.

The DESSA-mini gives educators the ability to proactively identify in 60 seconds and with 95% accuracy which students need additional support, rather than relying on the occurrence of negative student behavior as the indicator of needed support. For a more in-depth look at each student’s specific strengths and needs, the full DESSA assessment can be completed in just 5-8 minutes per student. Some organizations administer the DESSA for a subset of students identified as needing further instruction, while others choose to administer the DESSA for all students.

The Student Portal prepares students with the skills to succeed after graduation. It allows students to self-assess their social-emotional competencies and receive immediate access to their results. Students are encouraged to use their results to set personal goals and use research-based strategies through a self-guided, mobile-friendly platform to support their social-emotional growth.