SEL
Successful implementation
Readiness stage, the mean rating for step 1,
“Principal commits to school-wide SEL,” was
high (3.76) and indicated that schools felt
their principals were highly supportive of their
efforts to implement SEL. For the Planning
stage, the highest mean rating (3.59) was for
step 6, “Select evidence-based program.” This
rating was encouraging because it indicated
that most schools had selected their SEL
programs and were ready to implement them.
For the Implementation stage, the highest
mean rating (3.30) was for step 7, “Conduct
initial staff development.” This rating was also
encouraging because it indicated that schools
were providing professional development
training for their staff to implement the
SEL program.
At wave 5, schools rated step 9, “Expand
teaching and integrate SEL school-wide,”
and step 10, “Revisit activities and adjust for
improvement” slightly lower than 3, “mostly
functional.” This rating was expected, as
schools will be likely to address these steps
during the latter half of year 3 in the project.
For the Sustainability Factors, factor C,
“Develop infrastructure to support SEL,”
What we know
Author note
received the highest rating (3.04). This rating This article is based on a project conducted
indicated that most schools had developed
●
Implementing social and emotional collaboratively by CASEL, the University of
their systems to support SEL programming. learning (SEL) programs with quality is Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Social and Emotional
Factor E, “Nurture partnerships with families diffi cult. Learning Research Group, the Illinois
and communities,” received the lowest
●
We developed a model and rubric that State Board of Education, and the Illinois
rating (2.57), indicating that schools were assesses the quality of SEL program Children’s Mental Health Partnership. The
still developing their capacity to inform implementation in schools and helps project was funded by the UIC Offi ce of the
families about the implementation of SEL. them plan for improvement. Vice Chancellor for Research and through
The rubric ratings suggest that the
●
Using the rubric, we assessed the a state appropriation with the Illinois
schools’ implementation of SEL has implementation quality of SEL State Board of Education. The project was
progressed as planned during their 2½-year programs in participating Illinois managed by Voices for Illinois Children.
involvement in the project. During the latter schools over 2½ years and found they
half of year 3, training and support will made considerable progress.
focus on strengthening Implementation
Further reading
and Sustainability practices. The rubric Our initial fi ndings suggest that
Devaney E, O’Brien MU, Resnik H, Keister
is meant as a tool to help schools be the schools in this project have made
S, & Weissberg RP (2006), Sustainable
purposeful when selecting activities to considerable progress in implementing SEL.
Schoolwide Social and Emotional Learning
advance their implementation of SEL. For Schools can use the rubric to guide their
(SEL): Implementation Guide and Toolkit.
example, if schools have low ratings for efforts in implementing SEL. The CASEL
Chicago, IL: CASEL.
the early implementation steps, it will be model is one way to guide schools in their
Durlak JA (1998), Why Program
important to strengthen them and lay the efforts and the rubric is one tool to help
Implementation is Important. Journal
foundation for the latter implementation them plan and assess their progress as they
of Prevention & Intervention in the
steps. Suppose a school rates itself on implement SEL.
Community, 17, 5–18.
the rubric as having partially implemented
step 2. Using the rubric, the school can About the authors
Durlak JA, Weissberg RP, Dymnicki DA,
determine what activities they could enact Peter Ji is a Research Assistant Professor
Taylor RD, & Schellinger KB (in press),
to move their school from a “partial” to a in the Department of Psychology at the
The Impact of Enhancing Students’ Social
“full implementation” rating on step 2. The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and
and Emotional Learning: A Meta-analysis
school’s steering committee could discuss is Project Director for various assessment
of School-based Universal Interventions.
the impacts of SEL on academic achievement. and evaluation initiatives for the UIC SEL
Child Development.
These activities could then prepare the Research Group (petji@uic.edu).
Elias MJ, Zins JE, Weissberg RP, Frey KS,
school to address step 3, “Develop a shared Roger P. Weissberg is Liberal Arts and
Greenberg MT, Haynes NM, et al (1997),
vision,” and incorporate the importance of Sciences Distinguished Professor of
Promoting Social and Emotional Learning:
SEL on academic achievement within its Psychology at the University of Illinois at
Guidelines for Educators. Alexandria,
vision. Schools that select activities based on Chicago and President of the Collaborative
VA: Association for Supervision and
the rubric ratings can make informed plans for Academic, Social, and Emotional
Curriculum Development.
for implementing SEL with quality. Learning (CASEL) (rpw@uic.edu).
winter 2010 Better: Evidence-based Education 13
Better(US)Win10 pp12-13 Implemetation.indd 13 4/3/10 10:28:39
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