Building a Social and Emotional Learning Framework

Common Understanding What is Social and Emotional Learning? Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is 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. (CASEL, 2016)

Skills That Matter Self-Awareness The ability to accurately recognize one s emotions and thoughts, and their influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing one s strengths and areas for growth, and possessing a well grounded sense of confidence and optimism. Self-Management The ability to regulate one s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and working towards achieving personal and academic goals. Social Awareness The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and support. Relationship Skills The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeing and offering help when needed. Responsible Decision Making The ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on considerations of ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and the well-being of self and others.

Why Social and Emotional Learning?

Benefits of SEL http://www.promoteprevent.org/sites/www.promoteprevent.org/files/resources/selbenefits.pdf

Career Ready Employers are seeking those with the following SEL skills: Listening & communication Problem solving Self-esteem Goal setting Self motivation U.S. Dept. of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration Research Project -- 2008

Life Ready Studies find that SEL results in additional benefits: Preventing & treating emotional, behavioral, & mental disorders Improving behaviors Improving physical health Reducing violence Reducing substance abuse (Institute of Medicine Report, 2009; Blum & Libbey, 2004; Greenberg et al., 2001; Zins et al., 2004; ; Cherniss et al., 2006; CASEL, 2008)

What s the Urgency? Disparities & inequities in MPS 40% of African American students do not graduate 60% of Native American students do not graduate 1 in 10 American adults experience depression Impact of community & family violence on student well-being

SEL Embedded throughout Acceleration2020 GOALS 1&2 Key Strategies Provide Quality Core Instruction Ensure use of inclusive practices Promote culturally and linguistically responsive practices GOAL 3 Key Strategies Focus on students and families as partners to strengthen academic, social, and emotional success of students Target partnerships with individuals and organizations that further the academic, social, and emotional success of students Promote student retention and recruitment efforts, increasing enrollment and supporting students success GOAL 5 Key Strategy Build foundational management systems

State, Federal, and District Requirements MN SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOLS ACT (SSSA) OCR: Requires an early identification system for students at-risk for behavior difficulties Requires quality interventions Focus on School Climate MPS ACADEMIC PLAN SSSA Districts and schools must establish strategies for creating a positive School Climate and use evidence-based socialemotional learning to prevent and reduce discrimination and other improper conduct.. OCR AGREEMENT ACADEMIC PLAN Embedded throughout the academic plan to support crossfunctional collaboration EVERY CHILD SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA) BEHAVIOR STANDARDS POLICY: Requires that students have opportunities for skill building after a behavior incident HEALTH EDUCATION STANDARDS ESSA A broader definition of student success- requiring at least one nonacademic accountability measure Allows allocation of Title II for professional development and Title IV funds to implement SEL activities BEHAVIOR STANDARDS POLICY HEALTH SEL standards embedded within academic standards http://www.casel.org/federal-policy-and-legislation/

Current SEL Programmatic Practices in MPS

SEL Starts with the Adults Model + Teach+ Reinforce Starts with staff self-awareness, self-care and selfcompassion Recognize that if we don t model what we hope to teach, we are teaching something else

SEL: A Three Pronged Approach To ensure comprehensive implementation aligned to researched best-practices, we must focus on educating the whole child, the whole day, using strategies throughout the whole school. WHOLE CHILD Direct instruction using research-based programing to deliberately teach the five foundational SEL practices necessary for success in school and in life WHOLE DAY SEL strategies embedded throughout the day and in all curricular areas, including opportunities to model, teach, and reinforce SEL skills WHOLE SCHOOL A safe, welcoming and respectful learning environment that is well-managed, supportive, and engaging.

Examples of Programmatic Efforts WHOLE CHILD: SUPPORTING DIRECT INSTRUCTION Providing introduction to SEL training Second Step Training Offer consultation to support implementation Summer school SEL lessons WHOLE SCHOOL: EMBEDDING SEL THROUGHOUT THE DAY Working with T&L to prioritize SEL content embedded in literacy adoption Providing trainings on how embedding SEL into core content areas and instructional strategies Worked with Turn-Around Team to provide training for teachers DISTRICT LEVEL SEL PROMOTION Collaborating with Out of School time Providers to coordinate SEL Instruction Reviewing proposals for new SEL content Speaking with community partners on shared SEL opportunities Prioritizing staff self-care strategies in all trainings Supporting youth voice and self-advocacy in response to current events

SEL Successes EXAMPLES OF WHOLE CHILD: Implementing Second Step with fidelity Fidelity checks occur regularly EXAMPLES OF WHOLE DAY: SEL themes integrated into classroom content SEL skill prompts used prior to transitions (exp. Recess, lunch, hallways and bus) Teachers prioritize reinforcing skills through instructional practices throughout the school day EXAMPLES OF WHOLE SCHOOL : Dedicated time in master schedule for SEL Train all staff in SEL foundational skills Weekly/Monthly SEL themes school wide Prioritizing SEL activities in PSWE plans

Current SEL Evaluation and Measurement Projects

Evaluation Efforts WORK COMPLETED TO DATE Completed literature review and info graphic summary Mapped out current SEL practices pertaining to climate and engagement, direct instruction, opportunities to embed SEL strategies, Professional Development, student assessment items, and teacher evaluation Preliminary needs assessment based on map Initial analysis of Positive School Wide Engagement Plans Landscape analysis Evaluation of current practices and system readiness Evaluate current efforts Develop System Readiness tool

Measurement Efforts WORK COMPLETED TO DATE Completed initial analysis of persistence and racial identity development measures Partnered with Harvard Medical School s PEAR Institute to deliver and complete initial analysis the Holistic Student Survey ( HSA) Partnered with a PhD student from the U of M to study cultural relevance of measures Administered and Analyzed School Climate survey Complete analysis of current tools Vetting SEL Measures Pilot Measures Provide recommendations

Measurement Challenges NO GOLDEN TICKET Challenging to measure complex constructs Concerns about cultural sensitivity and being deficit focused Concerns about many instruments ability to capture change over time and contexts Self-report surveys are not always developmentally appropriate or accurate

Next Steps

Programmatic Efforts Moving Forward CASEL Needs Assessment Finalize district SEL framework Support educators embedding SEL content into core curriculum and SEL strategies into instructional practices SEL Standards Coordinate and support SEL direct instruction Partner with families to support SEL skill development of MPS students

Measurement Efforts Moving Forward Finalize research on existing measures and potential pilots Collect stakeholder feedback on measures Conduct pilot (programming and measurement) Provide recommendations for effective scaling Provide evaluation support

Appendix

SEL Focus Areas Goals 1&2- Provide Quality Core instruction: Employ a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) that provides differentiated, universal core instruction (e.g., academic, social, emotional and behavioral), a structured problem solving process, and progressively more intense and individualized, evidence-based interventions and/or supports that address barriers and increase the rate of learning for all students. Goals 1&2 -Ensure use of inclusive practices: Ensure students have the knowledge, skills, and support they need to successfully transition, academically and socially/emotionally, to new schools and grade levels, such as the transition from early childhood to kindergarten, from elementary to the middle grades, and from the middle grades to high school. Goals 1&2 Promote Culturally and Linguistically responsive practices : Ensure schools have systems in place to support student engagement, and to monitor and positively respond to student engagement/behavior concerns including, but not limited to, providing direct SEL instruction and implementing alternatives to suspension and restorative practices. Goal 3- Focus on students and families as partners to strengthen academic, social and emotional success of students: Improve the selection and accessibility of district wide and co-curricular student activities that foster proportional access as well as academic and socioemotional success. Goal 3- Target partnerships with individuals and organizations that further the academic, social and emotional success of students: Evaluate community partnerships to ensure that all partners have a positive impact on students academic and SEL. Goal 3- Promote student retention and recruitment efforts, increasing enrollment and supporting students success: Enact student placement procedures that support the academic and social and emotional success of students. Goal 5- Build foundational management systems: Put organizational accountability structures in place to monitor progress on crossdepartmental plans and frameworks (e.g., OCR, Equity framework, IT, Capital improvement, SEL, Integration, WBWF, Professional Development).

Acceleration2020

AC2020 Metrics

Timeline EVALUATION AND MEASUREMENT EFFORTS JAN. APRIL AUG. JAN. APRIL Finalize iterative research on existing measures and potential pilots Collect stakeholder feedback on measures Develop data reporting and communication protocol for pilots Admin. pilot Iterative analysis Reporting and recommendations Effective scaling Complete landscape analysis Partner with CASEL Secure necessary contracts Secure proper consent Data literacy and instructional coaching