2011 – 2021: 10 Years of Social and Emotional Learning in U.S. School Districts: Elements for Long-Term Sustainability of SEL
CASEL
In 2011, CASEL launched the Collaborating Districts Initiative (CDI) to study whether it was possible to implement SEL systemically in large, urban districts across the United States. Systemic SEL implementation is more pervasive and complex than the introduction of a single lesson or class period. It permeates all aspects of the district from classroom instruction and school climate to staffing, professional learning, district policies, family engagement, and more.
How does a district equip itself to sustain its commitment to SEL over the long term, even as the people and contexts within the district change? Based on the CDI districts’ implementation of systemic SEL, this report summarizes six key elements for sustaining SEL.