Integrating Social and Emotional Learning Supports in Elementary Schools and Afterschool Programs through Partnerships

• In Event: Infusing Social and Emotional Learning Into Academic and Enrichment Activities

Abstract

Schools and afterschool programs have long histories of promoting the academic, social, and emotional development of young people (Durlak et al., 2011; Hurd & Deutsch, 2017). The Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning (PSELI) builds on both types of institutions’ strengths and encourages them to collaborate so that children experience supportive, coherent, and equity-focused learning environments across the school and afterschool day. The six PSELI grantee communities, each consisting of a school district and one or more afterschool program networks, collaborated with a research team that generated formative guidance and summative findings over a six-year period. We will share findings from this research and will provide guidance to inform the integration of SEL into schools and afterschool programs.

The PSELI research is grounded in the science of learning and development (Darling-Hammond et al., 2020; Goldman & Lee, 2024; NASEM, 2018) and in evidence regarding how schools and afterschool programs can integrate SEL supports into instruction and other activities to improve student learning and well-being (Aspen Institute, 2019). We also build on research that demonstrates the importance of a multi-pronged, systemic approach to SEL (Cipriano et al., 2023; Jones & Kahn, 2017).

The 6-year PSELI study is the largest-ever investigation of school and afterschool programs enacting comprehensive SEL supports. We collected and analyzed over 12,000 questionnaire responses from school and afterschool staff, conducted over 1,460 interviews and focus groups, and observed more than 4,700 instructional and non-instructional activities. We also collected and analyzed artifacts provided by the participating sites. To examine impact, we collected and analyzed administrative data including enrollment and attendance in schools and afterschool programs, disciplinary data, and SEL assessment scores, and we compared student and adult outcomes in PSELI and matched non-PSELI schools.

This research generated numerous findings related to implementation as well as staff and student outcomes. In this presentation we highlight a few findings that are relevant to the broader theme of the session. For instance, we found that continuous quality improvement efforts through which staff engaged with coaches were an important contributor to high-quality infusion of SEL into schools and afterschool programs. Efforts to highlight student voice were especially valuable. We also identified positive outcomes for students, including improved social problem-solving skills. The study offered some unexpected learning opportunities due to its multiyear timeline that overlapped with external events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd. This dimension of our research is relevant and timely, providing attendees with valuable insights into how SEL can support both students and adults during times of crisis.

Our study adds to the growing evidence base regarding the integration of academic, social, and emotional learning and the ways in which schools and other institutions can adopt systemic, equity-oriented approaches to SEL. It also contributes to research on effective strategies for promoting SEL-related competencies among school and afterschool program staff.

Authors

• Catherine H. Augustine, RAND Corporation

• Laura S. Hamilton, National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment, Inc.

• Alice Huguet, RAND Corporation