SEL Center

Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety

Equitable, Sustainable Systems Change at Scale: Lessons Learned From State Collaboratives

Equitable, Sustainable Systems Change at Scale: Lessons Learned From State Collaboratives

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Over the past 5 years, the Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety (CISELSS) at WestEd has had the privilege of providing universal, targeted, and direct technical assistance for state and local agencies through long-term peer collaboratives that CISELSS facilitated for state agency teams from across the nation. Though the topics for these collaboratives varied, they shared one essential quality: The state teams worked together toward equitable and sustainable systems change at the nexus of social and emotional well-being, excellent outcomes for young people, and equity.

This report describes the state collaboratives and the framework for convening state education agency leaders in this manner. It highlights themes that emerged from the CISELSS state collaboratives, along with several relevant insights and recommendations for each. We hope these ideas may support other state leaders as they work to improve their systems at the nexus of social and emotional well-being, excellent outcomes for young people, and equity.

Listening Guide: Strategic Communications for State System Leaders Navigating Times of Social Conflict

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This listening guide was developed to support individual and group reflection as you listen to the audiocast Making the Case: Strategic Communications for State System Leaders Navigating Times of Social Conflict. It is part of a portfolio of resources that aims to provide state system leaders with practical guidance and vivid approaches to strategic communications in our current context of social and political polarization.

Audiocast: Reflections from the Field: Strategic Communications for State System Leaders Navigating Times of Social Conflict

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This audiocast offers ideas about strategic communications and vivid examples of effective approaches to navigating social and political challenges, including cross-sector collaboration, using data, and storytelling.

It features Sheila Briggs of Education First and Maria Echaveste, the CEO of the Opportunity Institute, in conversation with Natalie Walrond, the Director of the national Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety. Three key themes are highlighted in this discussion: balancing courageous and compelling language; cross-sector collaboration as a strategy for strategic communications; and data and storytelling.

Accompanying Resources:

Reframing and Understanding Staff Resistance to Advance Positive School Climates

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Efforts to improve school climate can face resistance from school staff. Leaders who recognize resistance as a natural phenomenon and who understand its root causes are better prepared to successfully manage change initiatives.

This guide examines some common root causes of staff resistance, such as burnout, a lack of trust, and fear. It offers actionable strategies for leaders to mitigate the effects of resistance by encouraging them to recognize such resistance as a source of vital information that productively illuminates important gaps or opportunities in initiative implementation. By reframing their approach as one of openness and curiosity, leaders can create favorable conditions for school staff to support the school climate initiative. Questions throughout the guide provide opportunities for leaders to reflect on the best staff engagement approaches.

Family Guide to Supporting Young People’s Mental Health and Well-Being

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Project Cal-Well, a cross-agency mental health initiative led by the California Department of Education, produced this easy-to-use guide with input from families, educators, mental health professionals, and youth. The guide helps parents and other adult family members and caregivers navigate supporting the overall well-being and mental health of school-aged children, including tips for what can be difficult conversations. It offers information about the social and emotional development of young people and explains warning signs that may signal mental health challenges. It equips caregivers with targeted strategies, tools, and resources that help them advocate for their family, address each child’s specific needs, and access professional help.

Key topics and tips include:

  • example conversation starters to help open lines of communication with children and teens;
  • enjoyable ways to connect, develop wellness routines, and create well-being practices as a family;
  • information addressing mental health myths, including the specific needs and increased challenges facing young people who identify as LGBTQ+;
  • information on how to recognize signs that a child is bullying or being bullied;
  • tools to create a family media plan that sets boundaries around technology and gives children the skills to be online safely using age-appropriate platforms; and
  • tips for partnering with schools to access mental health and family wellness resources and supports.

The authors recommend sharing this guide with families in your district by providing this guide alongside referrals to local resources to support your community. The Family Guide to Supporting Young People’s Mental Health and Well-Being can be shared with this one-page handout containing a QR code for a digital copy of the guide and online resources.

Designing Safe and Supportive Physical Classroom Environments: A Checklist

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This checklist outlines key aspects of physical classroom environments that contribute to safe and supportive learning spaces. It covers design, layout, furniture, decor, organization, and lighting, emphasizing the importance of maintaining high-quality, secure settings. Understanding and implementing these elements is crucial for fostering a positive school climate, enhancing student motivation and behavior, and ultimately improving academic achievement.