CASEL Framework Affirmed as SEL Standard
The CASEL framework has been reaffirmed as the gold standard for implementing evidence-based social-emotional learning (SEL) in schools. The framework's five core competencies, including self-management and responsible decision-making, are positioned as foundational to student well-being. This positions SEL as a key component of building executive function skills within an educational context.
- The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) was established in 1994, with the term "social and emotional learning" being officially coined then. The organization's initial goal was to make evidence-based SEL a fundamental part of education from preschool through high school. - Research indicates a direct link between SEL and improved academic outcomes; one meta-analysis of studies involving over 270,000 students showed that SEL interventions increased students' academic performance by 11 percentile points compared to peers who did not participate. - The self-management competency, which involves regulating emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, directly supports the development of executive function skills like impulse control, stress management, and organizational skills. - In Chicago, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has formally committed to becoming a healing-centered school district, an approach that aligns with SEL principles by focusing on the social-emotional well-being of both students and staff. CPS requires that instructional materials for SEL are aligned with the CASEL core competencies. - For neurodiverse students, the CASEL competencies are used as a framework in programs like The Neurodiversity Alliance's Eye to Eye Mentoring, which pairs neurodiverse students with mentors to discuss identity, emotional awareness, and accommodations. - A 2020 update to the CASEL framework placed a greater emphasis on how SEL can be a lever for advancing educational equity by helping to create more inclusive learning environments and interrupting inequitable policies and practices. - Long-term studies show that strong social and emotional skills are linked to positive life outcomes up to 18 years later, including a higher likelihood of high school graduation, postsecondary completion, and stable, full-time employment.
