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Social and emotional learning

We work with partners in the social-emotional learning (SEL) field to increase the adoption of solutions in middle and high schools that significantly increase the number of students who are Black, Latino, and/or experiencing poverty, who attend schools that integrate social, emotional, and academic development. These schools foster strong relationships and equitable learning environments attuned to and sustaining of students’ identity and cultural context in order to increase postsecondary success.

Students Weigh In, Part Two (Youth Truth)

In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic required nearly all of the more than 55 million K-12 students in the United States to stop doing school in the way they had been taught and engage in learning remotely instead. In response to a stark lack of first-hand data about how the pandemic and school closures were affecting students’ lived experiences, this report—the second in a three-part series—explores what students have to say about learning and well-being during COVID-19.

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There is wide agreement among teachers, parents, elected officials, and others—and support from research—that social-emotional learning (SEL) is a critical component of long-term success for students inside and outside the classroom. We believe there is a tremendous opportunity within our K-12 strategy to infuse SEL into schools while also maintaining a continued emphasis on academic rigor.
First, there are numerous approaches in the field, making it difficult to define what constitutes an “SEL solution.” Second, there are limited funding streams that support the development of new SEL solutions and adoption by schools and districts. Finally, the field must make significant progress to ensure that SEL is equity-centered and culturally competent.
We aim to significantly increase the number of students who are Black, Latino, and/or experiencing poverty and are attending schools that are intentionally designed to support learning that is academic, social, and emotional, with relationships and equitable learning environments attuned to and sustaining of students’ identity and cultural context.
Several large school districts serving our priority students have begun implementing a districtwide strategy aligned to the dimensions of quality of integrated SEL and critical conditions for implementation. Over time, these districts can serve as exemplars for other schools and districts that are prioritizing social-emotional learning and are able to take advantage of a growing ecosystem of solutions providers, practical guidance, and additional funding.

Social and Emotional Learning Investment Priorities

Our investments in this area focus on the following areas:

Building a Field-led Research and Learning Agenda

Support a field-led learning agenda focused on defining the dimensions of quality within integrated SEL and the most critical conditions needed for implementation in schools and districts.

Supporting Exemplar SEL Solution Providers

Continue to support providers in refining their models to be exemplars of integrated SEL, broadly adoptable across a range of school and districts that serve students who are Black, Latino, and/or experiencing poverty.

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