Key points:
- A data-driven approach enables school districts to truly assess whether their SEL investments are working
- There are many options for measuring SEL–a behavior rating scale is one popular approach
- See related article: 5 essential SEL reads
Social-emotional learning (SEL) programs in schools have skyrocketed in the past few years, with spending exceeding $1.7 billion in the 2021-2022 school year alone. Experts anticipate this to grow by another 23 percent this coming school year, but are these investments making an impact?
Studies show that SEL benefits students in the classroom and long after graduation. But proving that a school’s particular program is impactful is another story. Why are so many schools content to determine SEL effectiveness without hard facts?
Schools assess the effectiveness of their reading and math curricula based on assessment data, and in doing so, better understand each child’s progress and challenges so that teaching can fit the student. It’s time to apply the same logic when it comes to assessing a child’s social-emotional learning.
ROI of SEL
There is no shortage of studies showing the value of SEL. One Columbia University analysis revealed positive SEL impacts extending even beyond the classroom, attributing improved mental and physical health, reduced juvenile crime and higher lifetime earnings. The report noted that SEL benefits outweighed the costs by a ratio of 11:1. In real world terms, that means that for every $1 spent on effective programming, the return on investment is $11 in long-term benefits to students, schools and communities.
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