Fostering Social and Emotional Learning with a Universal SEL Program and a School-Level Support Intervention

Research on school-based SEL interventions suggests they have positive impacts on students’ behavioral outcomes and improve academic performance (Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011; Sklad, Diekstra, Ritter, Ben, & Gravesteijn, 2012). One of the most effective evidence-based SEL programs is the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) Curriculum (Greenberg & Kusche, 2012). When interventions are replicated in community settings, however, implementation is often poor. Several conceptual models of program implementation in schools take an ecological approach to organize factors at the individual and building level that influence the implementation process (Domitrovich et al, 2008; Durlak & Dupree, 2008). It has been proposed that “readiness interventions” could reduce the extent to which these factors undermine implementation quality (Wanless & Domitrovich, 2015). The CASEL Guide for Social and Emotional Learning (School Guide) is a school-level intervention that was designed to overcome these challenges to promote high quality SEL implementation.

This presentation will provide an overview of a randomized control trial of an innovative school-level support model designed to promote school-wide SEL and high quality implementation of evidence-based interventions. The trial is being implemented in a large urban school district and includes 28 participating schools that serve a student population comprised of predominantly ethnic and racial minorities (33% Black; 64% Hispanic) who are economically disadvantaged (94%).

All participating schools implement the evidence-based SEL program PATHS, one of the most extensively researched and effectively replicated classroom-based SEL programs. Half of the participating schools were randomized to receive a combination of PATHS and the CASEL School Guide as an added support for planning, implementing, and monitoring school-wide SEL. This Guide includes helpful tools and research-based guidance that school leadership teams use to support and coordinate high quality SEL throughout their school community. Implementation is also supported by an SEL coach that offers technical assistance and expertise during monthly team meetings, individual and group meetings (e.g., grade level meetings), and through facilitation of professional learning events.

This paper will describe the CASEL School Guide and present data regarding its feasibility as it was used by school SEL leadership teams with support from an SEL coach. Fidelity to the model was high across the 14 schools that were randomized to use the Guide as an additional support. Data will also be presented to illustrate the flexibility of the model as variation in dosage and patterns of coaching activities were observed in relation to school priorities and needs.