CASEL-Report-low-res-FINAL

iNTRoduCTioN
America risks a generation of talent, needlessly lost. our nation aspires to live up to its dream of equal
opportunity for all as we educate our children to be knowledgeable, responsible, caring, and contributing
individuals. We want them to be poised for a lifetime of opportunity and success in a rapidly changing
economy and world.
But today in America, more than one
million school-aged children do not
graduate from high school with their
peers, 21 with huge consequences to them,
society, and our economy. 22 Even among
high school graduates, too few enroll
in and complete college. 23 Ironically,
America has a widening skills gap and
3.6 million available jobs right at a time of
high unemployment, 24 particularly among
youth. Tragically, these educational trends
result in nearly seven million youth (ages
16–24) disconnecting from school or
work, leaving many of them unable to
support themselves, raise families, and
give back to their communities. 25 Such
disconnection also costs taxpayers $93
billion per year and $1.6 trillion over the
lifetimes of these youth. 26
This does not have to be America’s
story. In communities across the United
States, students are facing ever-higher
standards in schools, more complex
environments with the breakdown of
families and neighborhoods, and an
economy that requires a broader range
dEfiNiNg ouR TERMS: WHAT iS SEL?
Social and emotional learning (SEL) involves the processes through which adults and children develop
social and emotional competencies in five areas:
Self-awareness, like knowing your strengths
and limitations
Self-management, like being able to stay in
control and persevere through challenges
Social awareness, like understanding and
empathizing with others
of skills. Many of the skills that enable
students to navigate successfully — such
as self-awareness and -management, grit
and determination, empathy and conflict
resolution, discipline and industriousness,
and application of knowledge and skills
to real-world situations — are not being
systemically integrated into American
schools. These are the very life skills and
experiences that dropouts themselves
say would have kept them in school
and on track, 27 as social and emotional
learning (SEL) provides students with
the fundamental skills to achieve in
school and succeed in life. These are
also the skills that teach all of us how to
handle our relationships, our careers,
and ourselves in an effective and fulfilling
manner, enabling success not just in
school, but in work and civic life.
There is powerful evidence that SEL,
if scaled, could dramatically improve
student achievement in schools and a
lifetime of outcomes for children that
would strengthen education, the economy,
and our communities. (See page 16 for
Relationship skills, like being able to work in
teams and resolve conflicts
Responsible decision-making, like making
ethical and safe choices
(For more information, see page 16.)
more information on the definition of SEL.)
A robust body of research shows that
adopting explicit evidence-based SEL
strategies and integrating evidence-based
SEL instructional approaches are linked
to a variety of positive outcomes for
children, ranging from improved attitudes
and behaviors to better academic
performance. A number of studies have
shown that students who receive SEL
have achievement scores an average of
11 percentile points higher than students
who do not. 28 There are also powerful
examples of schools, districts, and states
intentionally prioritizing SEL in programs
and policies, including the eight school
districts engaging in the Collaborative
for Academic, Social, and Emotional
Learning (CASEL)’s Collaborating
District Initiative. 29 This report features
case studies on Austin, TX; Cleveland,
OH; Montgomery County, MD; and
DuPage County, IL, as well as the Illinois
State Standards, as examples of these
successes and as a challenge that others
can lead in this important work, too.
In addition to this compelling evidence,
now — for the first time ever — we have
evidence that teachers across the nation
— those closest to the development
of children — readily endorse this
approach. In November and December
2012, more than 600 educators,
from prekindergarten, elementary,
middle, and high schools across the
country, demonstrated that they have
a common vision for schools, which
A National teacher Survey on How Social and Emotional Learning Can Empower Children and transform Schools 11