Resources

This report, Social-Emotional Learning and Academic Growth, leverages this foundation to investigate a set of questions that emerged directly from our research-practice partnership:

• How, if at all, does students’ growth in SEL (over the course of a year) contribute to improved academic performance? Which SEL competencies contribute the most?
• To what extent does the relationship between SEL and academic growth differ by student subgroup? Is growth in SEL a stronger contributor to academic outcomes for middle or high school students? For 9th graders? For students with disabilities? Do students from more disadvantaged neighborhoods benefit more or less?

It explores the answers to these questions, drawing on data for nearly 6,000 middle and high school students in New York City. Our findings were mixed. While many of the associations we tested were not borne out in these analyses, the report highlights some small but notable relationships:

• Students who demonstrated growth in SEL, particularly in Growth Mindset, Self-Regulation, and Academic Self-Efficacy, showed more growth in academic outcomes;
• Improvements in Growth Mindset and Self-Regulation were associated with larger academic gains for students who live in more structurally disadvantaged neighborhoods and students who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

With the goal of informing programming, as well as future research, the report raises some fundamental questions about how SEL is defined and taught, as well as the overall purpose of schooling (i.e., a narrow focus on academics, vs. a broader vision for developing young adults). The report recommends actions that schools and youth programs can take to further explore and build on the insights from our partnership’s work to date. Future analyses from this project will examine other important questions, including questions about the relationship between SEL growth and students’ perceptions of school climate.