Social and Emotional Learning as a Public Health Approach to Education

Author(s): Mark T. Greenberg, Celene E. Domitrovich, Roger P. Weissberg and Joseph

A. Durlak
Source: The Future of Children , SPRING 2017, Vol. 27, No. 1, Social and Emotional
Learning (SPRING 2017), pp. 13-32
Published by: Princeton University

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/44219019

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 Social and Emotional Learning as a Public
Health Approach to Education

Mark T. Greenberg, C elene E. Domitrovich,

Roger P. Weissberg, and Joseph A. Durlak

Summary
Evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs, when implemented effectively,
lead to measurable and potentially long-lasting improvements in many areas of children s lives.
In the short term, SEL programs can enhance children's confidence in themselves; increase
their engagement in school, along with their test scores and grades; and reduce conduct
problems while promoting desirable behaviors. In the long term, children with greater social-
emotional competence are more likely to be ready for college, succeed in their careers, have
positive relationships and better mental health, and become engaged citizens.

Those benefits make SEL programs an ideal foundation for a public health approach to
education - that is, an approach that seeks to improve the general population s wellbeing.
In this article, Mark Greenberg, Celene Domitrovich, Roger Weissberg, and Joseph Durlak
argue that SEL can support a public health approach to education for three reasons. First,
schools are ideal sites for interventions with children. Second, school-based SEL programs
can improve students' competence, enhance their academic achievement, and make them less
likely to experience future behavioral and emotional problems. Third, evidence-based SEL
interventions in all schools - that is, universal interventions - could substantially affect public
health.

The authors begin by defining social and emotional learning and summarizing research that
shows why SEL is important for positive outcomes, both while students are in school and as
they grow into adults. Then they describe what a public health approach to education would
involve. In doing so, they present the prevention paradox - "a large number of people exposed
to a small risk may generate many more cases [of an undesirable outcome] than a small number
exposed to a high risk" - to explain why universal approaches that target an entire population
are essential. Finally, they outline an effective, school-based public health approach to SEL that
would maximize positive outcomes for our nation s children.

www. futureofchildren.org

Mark T. Greenberg is the Edna Peterson Bennett Endowed Chair in Prevention Research and a professor of Human Development and
Psychology at Pennsylvania State University. Celene E. Domitrovich is a senior research scientist at the Collaborative for Academic,
Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Roger P. Weissberg is the NoVo Foundation Endowed Chair in Social and Emotional Learning and
a Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Joseph A. Durlak is a professor emeritus of
psychology at Loyola University Chicago.

Shirley Brandman of the Aspen Institute reviewed and critiqued a draft of this article.

VOL. 27 / NO. 1 / SPRING 2017 13

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 Mark T. Greenberg, Celene E. Domitrovich, Roger P. Weissberg, and Joseph A. Durlak

explain why promoting personal and social

health is to improve the general competencies is important for positive
population s wellbeing. That outcomes, both while students are in school
means not only preventing and afterward, when they become adults. We
The population diseases, health means ultimatedisiesasnotes, distoordersdis,oirders
njuries,, only s improve goal wellbeing. preventing of public injuries, the describe what a public health approach to
and problem behaviors, but also nurturing education involves, and we define the levels
positive outcomes that improve quality at which interventions are conducted within

of life. To achieve this goal, public health such an approach. In doing so, we present
researchers and practitioners begin by what's known as the "prevention paradox"
documenting the epidemiology of the and explain why universal approaches that
problems they target, tracking the rates target an entire population are essential for
at which a problem occurs and who is long-term public health impact. Finally,
most affected. They also study the risk we discuss how to implement an effective,
and protective factors as ociated with a school-based public health approach to SEL
problem - that is, factors that increase or in order to maximize positive outcomes for
our nation s children.
decrease the likelihood that the problem
wil develop among certain groups. Once
A Definition of Social and
they identify the most important factors,
they work to develop effective interventions
Emotional Learning
targeting risk factors that can be changed We can foster SEL through a variety of
and to dis eminate those interventions
educational approaches that promote
widely. Interventions often work directly with students' capacity to integrate thinking,
individuals to alter their behaviors and the
emotion, and behavior to deal effectively with
contexts they live in, and, at the same time, everyday personal and social challenges.1
strive to change norms and policies more SEL programs in schools aim to teach
broadly. students specific SEL skills and also to create
a classroom and school culture that enhances
Social and emotional learning (SEL)
SEL skills. Both approaches typically
can support a public health approach to
involve training school staff to interact with
education, for three reasons. First, schools
students in new ways to promote students'
are ideal sites for interventions with children:
competence.
most children attend school for many years
and spend a substantial amount of time As the circle in the center of figure 1 shows,
there each day. Second, school-based SEL the immediate outcomes of SEL proposed by
programs can improve students' competence, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and
enhance their academic achievement, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) are organized
make them less likely to experience future around five competence clusters that
behavioral and emotional problems. Third, include a variety of thoughts, attitudes, and
evidence-based SEL interventions in all behaviors: self-awareness, self-management,
schools - that is, universal interventions - social awareness, relationship skills, and
could substantially affect public health. responsible decision-making.2

This article defines social and emotional • Competence in self-awareness

learning and summarizes research to means understanding your own

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 Social and Emotional Learning as a Public Health Approach to Education

emotions, values, and personal goals. personal behavior and social

It includes accurately assessing your interactions, whatever the setting.
strengths and limitations, possessing Competence in this area requires
a well-grounded sense of self- the ability to consider ethical
efficacy and optimism, and having a standards, safety, and the norms
growth mindset that you can learn for risky behavior; to realistically
through hard work. A high level of evaluate the consequences of
self-awareness requires the ability to various actions; and to take the
recognize how your thoughts, feelings, health and wellbeing of yourself and
and actions are connected to one others into consideration.
another.
The far right side of figure 1 shows positive
• Competence in self-management short- and long-term developmental
requires skills and attitudes that help outcomes that are fostered by competence
regulate emotions and behaviors. across the five clusters. The thoughts, skills,
They include the ability to delay and attitudes in each domain help students
gratification, manage stress, control understand and manage emotions, set
impulses, and persevere through and achieve positive goals, feel and show
challenges to achieve personal and
caring and concern for others, develop a
educational goals.
positive and realistic perception about their
own competencies, establish and maintain
• Competence in social awareness
positive relationships, and make responsible
involves the ability to take the
decisions.3 In the short term, social-
perspective of people with different
backgrounds or from different emotional competence can lead to enhanced

cultures and to empathize and act self-efficacy and confidence; greater

with compassion toward others. It also attachment, commitment, and engagement

involves understanding social norms in school; more empathy and prosocial

for behavior and recognizing family, behaviors; fewer conduct problems; less
school, and community resources. risk-taking and emotional distress; and
improved test scores and grades.4 Follow-up
• Relationship skills give children studies of SEL interventions in elementary
the tools they need to establish and school have found that in the long term,
maintain healthy and rewarding greater social-emotional competence makes
relationships and to act in accordance it more likely that people will be ready
with social norms. Competence in for college, succeed in their careers, have
these skills involves communicating positive family and work relationships and
clearly, listening actively, cooperating,better mental health, and become engaged
resisting inappropriate social pressure, citizens.5
negotiating conflict constructively, and
seeking help when needed. The Need for Social and
Emotional Learning in Education
• Responsible decision-making requires
the knowledge, skills, and attitudes What is the purpose of education? Put
to make constructive choices about another way, what do children need from

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Mark T. Greenberg, Celene E. Domitrovich, Roger P. Weissberg, and Joseph A. Durlak

their education that will prepare them competencies. Schools should help young
to deal with the inevitable challenges of people improve their general wellbeing, not
everyday life and attain later success? just their academic skills.
Academic achievement receives much
Americans broadly agree that today s schools
attention, but the public school system
must offer more than academic instruction
in this country wasn't initially developed
to prepare students for college, career,
just to teach academic skills. The nation s
founders believed that schools should and community success.6 Children's life
conditions have changed dramatically in
create a competent citizenry made up of
the last century.7 Many families face greater
independent and critical thinkers who could
social and economic pressures. Schools and
work effectively with others and contribute
communities are increasingly multicultural
to democratic society.
and multilingual. Children are exposed to a
more complex world through the media and
have unmediated access to information and
To become the kind of social contacts through various technologies.

citizens the founders wanted These societal changes - as well as the shift
from a manufacturing to an information
public education to create , economy - call for a new emphasis on
children need skills that will learning how to manage stress, get along with
others, and work in groups. These abilities,
help them develop personal
often called 21st-century skills, are essential
plans and goals, learn to for adult success.8

cooperate with others, Students come to school with different

and deal with everyday abilities and motivations for learning,

challenges, setbacks, and behaving positively, and performing

academically. Estimates suggest that 40
disappointments. to 60 percent of US high school students
are chronically disengaged.9 According to
To become the kind of citizens the founders the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a
large proportion of high school students
wanted public education to create, children
behave in ways that jeopardize their future
need more than the ability to read, write,
(for example, substance use, violence, and
and do arithmetic. They also need skills that
bullying).10 Because of these individual
will help them develop personal plans and
and social complexities, we need a broader
goals, learn to cooperate with others, and
perspective for education in which success
deal with everyday challenges, setbacks,
means more than just academic achievement.
and disappointments. As well argue later in
this article, SEL interventions give children Benefits of Social and Emotional
opportunities to learn the life skills they Learning
need for successful development. But our
point here is that education should be seen The past 20 years have seen an explosion
as an opportunity for students to develop of interest in SEL. We now recognize that
a range of cognitive, personal, and social social-emotional competencies are important

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 Social and Emotional Learning as a Public Health Approach to Education

Figure 1. A Conceptual Model for Advancing SEL in Schools

^ Short-Term
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and
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SEL
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example,
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pro
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social-emotional onc
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magnitud
SEL has to
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respondents said
percent meta-analy
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Programs that
during pr
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thousands of
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ind
countries.14 States
SEL interventions. Recent reviews show that

established policie
well-implemented SEL programs promote
social-emotional
positive outcomes and reduce negative
outcomes
growth, andamong preschool, elementary,
feder
middle, and high
supports school students.19
educatin

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Mark T. Greenberg, Celene E. Domitrovich, Roger P. Weissberg , and Joseph A. Durlak

Because promoting social-emotional having a mental health disorder or showing

competencies affects a range of academic substantial problems. Schools devoted
and behavioral outcomes, interventions to fewer resources, if any, to preventive
enhance SEL can be found in numerous approaches. In contrast, a comprehensive
fields, including education, psychology, public health approach to education would
and public health. Both interventions that not only treat those already affected by the
promote health and those that seek to reduce targeted problems but also involve a range
specific risk behaviors (such as using drugs, of prevention or competence-promotion
bullying, or anxiety) include strategies to strategies that could benefit many more
students.22
develop personal and social competence. For
example, several drug-prevention programs
Prevention programs are commonly divided
promote resistance skills, which represent
into three levels, based on the degree
one type of social competence. We might
of risk among the participants. The first
even say that SEL is a common denominator
level encompasses universal interventions,
among interventions for children's wellbeing
which are designed to be used among the
and success.
general population without regard for
individual risk level. At the second level,
According to CASEL, an SEL intervention
selective interventions target a subgroup
is comprehensive when schools, families,
with one or more risk factors that increase
and communities collaborate to promote
their likelihood of poor outcomes. At the
students' development across the five
third level, indicated interventions identify
competence clusters (see figure 1). When
individuals who are already experiencing
such programming is evidence-based - that
early signs of problem behaviors but don't
is, implemented with quality and fidelity,
yet meet diagnostic criteria for having a
and evaluated in well-designed research
disorder.23
studies - it produces stronger effects than do
interventions that lack these characteristics.20
Unlike these prevention programs, treatment
Well-designed programming can be interventions generally target children with
characterized by the acronym SAFE, which high levels of symptoms or diagnosable
stands for sequenced - having a connected disorders. Unfortunately, most schools
and coordinated set of activities to foster skill
emphasize treatment over prevention. And
development; active - using active forms of many schools lack the resources to effectively
learning to help students master new skills; treat all those who need such help, let alone
focused - emphasizing the development the resources to offer prevention programs.
of personal and social skills; and explicit -
Universal Interventions
targeting specific social-emotional skills.21

A Public Health Approach to These interventions are essential to a public

Education health approach. They target all children,
they're usually relatively inexpensive
Until recendy, educational research and compared to other levels of intervention, and
interventions related to students' emotional
they have many advantages. First, they can
contribute to adaptive coping and resilience
and behavioral status focused primarily on
in an array of contexts across school, family,
treatments for children already classified as

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 Social and Emotional Learning as a Public Health Approach to Education

and community. Second, because they're little per child. For this reason, even
framed positively and provided to all relatively small effects on expensive
children, they aren't stigmatizing. Third, outcomes (such as dropping out of school)
they can reduce or prevent multiple across an entire population can easily offset
behavior problems that are predicted by an intervention's cost.28 For example, a
shared or common risk factors, including recent review of universal SEL programs
emotional and behavioral problems, early showed a projected saving of more than
substance use, delinquency, and school $11 for each dollar invested.29
failure.24
A final benefit of universal interventions
School-based universal interventions
is that their effects can spread beyond
commonly focus on three things: the individual level to encompass
improving school structure (for example, the school culture, home, and peer
policies or organizational rules), supporting group. For example, a universal SEL
teachers' pedagogy and instructional intervention may have strong and lasting
quality, and offering SEL curricula that effects not only by promoting healthy
promote knowledge and teach specific skills in particular children but also by
skills to all children in a classroom. As
changing the norms, skills, and attitudes
figure 1 shows, in a comprehensive of the entire population, thus creating a
public health model of education, SEL "sustaining environment."30 For example,
programming takes place at both the the PROSPER study (Promoting School-
classroom and school level, and through community-university Partnerships to
partnerships with families and community Enhance Resilience), which included
members.25 As we'll discuss in more
more than 11,000 young people, showed
detail later in this article, such a school-
that universal drug-prevention programs
wide approach to SEL is increasingly can change the structure of adolescents'
popular. One way to achieve it is through social networks so that prosocial teens -
evidence-based programs that provide that is, those less inclined to hold pro-
instructional materials and practices across drug attitudes or engage in problem
multiple grade levels to improve children's
behavior - become more popular and
SEL competencies and reduce problem influential.31 PROSPERS effects illustrate
outcomes.26 Intervention training can be
the "protective shield" concept: certain
adapted to different types of school staff so
universal interventions may operate by
they can apply the program's language and
creating a context that reduces exposure to
philosophy to their work with students.
risks at a point in the lifespan when such a
Universal interventions also commonly
reduction can have long-term effects.32
involve families, seeking to nurture
parenting skills such as communication, Selective Interventions
responsiveness, management and
monitoring of child behavior, and support At the next level of prevention, specialized
for children's learning.27 programs or services are delivered to a
class of children, families, or communities
Because they serve many children, with demographic characteristics or life
universal interventions can cost relatively experiences that place them at risk for later

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Mark T. Greenberg, Celene E. Domitrovich, Roger P. Weissberg, and Joseph A. Durlak

poor outcomes. For example, students may Prevention Strategies and the
be living in poverty or a disadvantaged Prevention Paradox
neighborhood, be experiencing trauma, or
We can illustrate the fundamental
have parents who suffer from depression
or a substance use disorder. In educational importance of a universal approach

terminology (that is, in the Response to to prevention through whats called

Intervention, or RTI, model), these are the prevention paradox. Public health

called tier 2 interventions. The major approaches that seek to prevent common
and serious medical conditions, such as
advantage of selective programs is that
cardiac arrest and stroke, have primarily used
effort and resources are spent on children
a "high-risk" strategy - that is, screening
who are at greater risk. For these children,
patients to find those who are already
selective interventions may offer greater
showing early signs or substantial risk
conceptual precision, intensity, and focus
factors related to later illness. Thus it's been
than universal interventions do.
standard procedure for the past 30 years or
Indicated Interventions so to screen adults for high blood pressure or
high levels of serum cholesterol, which are
The third level of prevention targets correlated with stroke and heart attack. The
children or families who show early signs screening identifies people who are more
of difficulty. Often, the distinction between likely to experience a stroke or heart attack,
indicated interventions and treatment
and this high-risk group is then treated,
interventions - meaning services for usually with drugs intended to lower their
those who have already received mental- risk, such as statins and beta-blockers. This
health diagnoses or special-educational approach is similar to the indicated level of
classifications - isn't clear-cut; it depends prevention. Often, the people identified as
on the nature of the problems, when being at risk are also asked to adopt lifestyle
they're detected, and how quickly changes related to diet, exercise, and tobacco
intervention follows. In the RTI model, use.

indicated prevention and treatment are

both considered tier 3 interventions. Such The high-risk strategy benefits some

services and programs are more intensive recipients. But because the approach
and expensive than those at tiers 1 and requires screening, it's limited to a relatively

2. But given the high cost and long-term small segment of the population. For this

effects of the problems they target, they

reason, and somewhat unexpectedly, its

may nonetheless be cost-effective. impact on the total public health burden o

heart attack and stroke is relatively small.
Each level of intervention has its strengths That's the great insight of Geoffrey Rose, t
and limitations. A comprehensive public British epidemiologist who coined the ter
health model that offers a carefully prevention paradox more than 30 years ag
orchestrated sequence of strategies - Using the example of heart disease, Rose
universal, selective, and indicated demonstrated that "a large number of peo
preventive approaches, followed by exposed to a small risk may generate man
treatment - is ultimately most likely to be more cases than a small number exposed
effective and cost-efficient.33 high risk."35

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 Social and Emotional Learning as a Public Health Approach to Education

Findings from the North Karelia Project in accident deaths in the United States). Thus
Finland illustrate this phenomenon. That under a population-strategy approach, many
study showed that while approximately individuals must change their behavior or
10 percent of people aged 30-59 with receive some degree of intervention so that a
very high serum cholesterol account for much smaller number of people will benefit.
about 30 percent of deaths from coronary This led Rose to argue that we should strive
heart disease, almost 70 percent of cases to minimize the effort and potential harm
of coronary heart disease come from the that could arise from a universal approach.
other 90 percent of the population, who are
considered to be at low risk.36 To substantially Preventing heart disease or auto fatalities
lower the rate of heart disease, Rose asserted, may seem far afield from preventing mental
it would be necessary to adopt a population health or educational problems in young
strategy or universal intervention model. people. But when it comes to children and
teenagers, Rose s insights into the limitations
of using a high-risk strategy alone have been
borne out in many areas. These include the
The benefit to each individual
effects of lead exposure on IQ, substance
may be extremely small even use, college drinking and injuries, risk for
though the cumulative benefit delinquency arrest, and risk of dropping
out of school.37 In all these areas, research
is significant.
shows that for the population as a whole, the
majority of problems occur among people
considered at low risk.
Rose articulated the prevention paradox
as follows. A preventive measure, action
Dropping out of school is an excellent
or policy that brings large benefits to the
example. You might expect that if you knew
whole community may offer little benefit to
each participating individual. In contrast, an the achievement test scores of ninth-graders

intervention that brings much benefit to an as well as their disciplinary and behavior

individual (such as statin therapy for heart records, you could accurately predict which

disease) may have a relatively small impact students would fail to complete high school.
Yet models that include both achievement
on the population as a whole. For example,
a population strategy for heart disease might and behavior accurately predict only about
involve a discount on insurance premiums 50 percent of dropouts.38 Thus a large
to people who attend exercise classes or percentage of students who are identified by
don't smoke. And the use of car seat belts dropout screening don't drop out; conversely,
is a universal intervention to reduce auto a large percentage of students who eventually
fatalities. drop out of high school can't be identified by
screening.
The paradox is that the benefit to each
individual is extremely small (the chance is As an example, imagine that we screened 100
low that you'll be in an accident in which ninth-graders and identified the 20 percent
a seat belt saves your life) even though the at the highest risk for dropping out. Let's
cumulative benefit will be significant (the use say that our screening was highly accurate,
of seat belts has dramatically reduced auto and 75 percent of those students dropped

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Mark T. Greenberg, Celene E. Domitrovich, Roger P. Weissberg, and Joseph A. Durlak

out (that is, 15 out of 20 high-risk students). horizontal integration - a comprehensive

Lets also imagine that only 25 percent of framework for organizing universal SEL
students in the low-risk group will drop out interventions so they are fully integrated
(or 20 out of 80). In this scenario, 20 of the into the educational system and create a
35 dropouts - or 57 percent of all dropouts - structure that supports high quality and
will come from the low-risk group. Given sustainability.40 Such a framework can
the high lifetime cost of not finishing high take advantage of natural opportunities
school (estimated at more than $350,000 per for promoting student social-emotional
person) and the relatively low cost of universal competence to integrate various school-
interventions, a universal intervention that based interventions.

reduced the dropout rate among this low-risk

The concentric circles around the
group by 25 percent, or 5 students, could
produce dramatic cost savings. In other competency clusters in figure 1 represent

words, although we can screen, identify, and classrooms, schools, home and family, and
treat some children who are at risk for later communities. We have evidence-based

problems with mental health or school failure, approaches to promote student SEL in each
we can substantially reduce the problem s of these settings; we also have models of

prevalence in the long run by first using an family- and community-based partnerships
effective universal intervention. with schools that create environments to

foster SEL among children and teenagers.

The prevention paradox implies that policies In contrast to vertical integration across
to prevent poor outcomes in childhood and service tiers targeting students at different
adolescence need to apply the right mix of risk levels, horizontal integration ties
strategies. That means multiple levels of together universal approaches to SEL. That
intervention: universal interventions that
means including programs that deliberately
focus on all the children and families in a
target SEL as well as practices and
school, selective interventions that focus on
policies - such as restorative discipline -
at-risk groups, indicated interventions that that can also create opportunities for SEL.41
focus on children already showing early signs Discipline policies, and the practices that
of trouble, and treatment for children with
support them, are important structures
formal diagnoses. This is in fact the layered for managing student behavior. These
strategy recommended by the Institute of structures can undermine SEL if they are
Medicine, by the RTI model, and by models punitive in nature, but they can create
for promoting mental health in schools.39 opportunities for SEL and positive student-
teacher relationships if they allow students
A Framework for Systemic Social
to gain self and social awareness, apply
and Emotional Learning
problem-solving skills to real-life conflicts,
We Ve shown that the most effective school- and negotiate interpersonal conflicts -
based interventions begin with a strong all of which are common elements of a
universal base for all students and then restorative approach to discipline.42 (To
add more targeted services for students learn more about restorative discipline, see
with greater needs - a concept known the article in this issue by Anne Gregory
as vertical integration. Next we describe and Edward Fergus.)

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 Social and Emotional Learning as a Public Health Approach to Education

Classroom-Level Strategies practices, or structures that foster these

characteristics of the school climate.47
One frequently used approach to SEL For example, a restorative approach to
involves training teachers to explicitly teach
discipline can not only promote students'
social-emotional skills in order to promote
skills but also positively influence
students' competencies. SEL instruction
relationships both between teachers and
can also be embedded in academic content
students and among students.48 Activities
areas such as English language arts, social
such as peer mentoring and service learning
studies, and math.43 To promote social-
build positive relationships and a sense of
emotional development for all students in
community among students.
their classrooms, educators can teach and
model social-emotional skills, give students One way to promote a positive school
opportunities to practice and hone those environment is to establish a climate or
skills, and let them apply those skills in SEL team to develop clear behavioral
various situations.
norms and expectations for students and
staff, and to enforce discipline fairly when
Teachers can also foster skills through rules are broken. School leaders can also
their own interpersonal and instructional
use organizational structures to build
interactions with students throughout the
SEL competencies. For example, regular
school day. Student-centered learning
morning meetings or advisones - smaller
approaches emphasize changing adult
social groups that help staff members
practices and the ways students interact
develop personal relationships with
with one another and their environment,
students and with one another - can build a
in an effort to promote students' analytical,
sense of community.
collaborative, and communication skills.44
For example, teacher practices that supportEducators' own social-emotional
students emotionally and let them experience competence and pedagogical skills influence
their own voice, autonomy, and mastery classroom and school climate as well as
can give students a stake in the educational
student behavior. High-quality teacher
process, lead to positive student-teacher
preparation and in-service professional
relationships, and promote students'
learning related to SEL should include such
engagement in learning.45 Instructional
elements as the theoretical knowledge and
methods that involve collaboration
pedagogical strategies essential to teaching
and cooperative learning can promote
SEL, the development of teachers' and
interpersonal and communication skills.
administrators' own personal and social
competencies, and supportive feedback
School-Level Strategies
from colleagues and administrators.49 Some
A school climate that's safe, academically research suggests that SEL interventions
challenging, participatory, and emotionally targeting students may also have secondary
supportive tends to promote social and benefits for teachers' own sense of efficacy
emotional competence. It also positively and competence.50 This additional benefit
affects students' academic achievement, only reinforces the rationale for establishing
behavior, and mental health.46 Typical a comprehensive foundation of universal
school-level SEL strategies involve policies, programming in schools.

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Mark T. Greenberg, Celene E. Domitrovich, Roger P. Weissberg , and Joseph A. Durlak

Family and Community Strategies need help from administrators and policy
makers to do so effectively.55 Successful
Programs that extend learning to the home SEL requires supportive infrastructures
and neighborhood can strengthen the and processes. Administrators can enhance
impact of school approaches. Community the work of individual teachers and staff by
partners and organizations can support championing a vision, policies, professional
classroom and school efforts, especially learning communities, and supports for
by giving students more opportunities to coordinated classroom, school-wide, family,
refine and apply SEL skills.51 School-family- and community programming.
community partnerships characterized by
equality, shared goals, and meaningful roles
for families and community partners have
been shown to enhance students' SEL and While many teachers jump
academic performance.52 at the chance to offer their
Young people can also connect with
students SEL programming ,
supportive adults and peers in after- they need help from
school programs - an important venue for
administrators and policy
helping students develop and apply new
skills and talents. Research has shown makers to do so effectively.
that if after-school programs devote time
to social-emotional development, they
Systematic efforts to promote SEL should
can significantly improve students' self-
include the following core features:
perceptions, bonding to school, positive
social behaviors, school grades, and • developing a shared vision that
achievement-test scores, and reduce prioritizes fully integrating SEL with
problem behaviors.53 academic learning for all students;

Implementing and Sustaining a • identifying and building on existing

Public Health Approach strengths and supports for SEL at all
levels;
If we want universal SEL programs to
become part of a broad educational public • establishing infrastructure
health approach, we must understand how and resources for professional
to increase the likelihood that evidence- development - both in the central
based SEL programs will be implemented office and at the school level - that

well. Research shows that training and can build SEL awareness, enhance
continuing support for school personnel adults' own social-emotional

are crucial.54 And before adopting any new competence, and cultivate effective
program, schools need long-term plans for SEL instructional practices;
sustaining it and integrating it with other
SEL interventions. • establishing student learning
standards for SEL that guide
While many teachers jump at the chance to the scope and sequence of SEL
offer their students SEL programming, they programming;

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 Social and Emotional Learning as a Public Health Approach to Education

• adopting and aligning evidence- integrating SEL programming at all levels

based programs to develop social- and across support tiers; and using data to
emotional skills in classrooms and monitor and improve the process.58
throughout the school;
CASEL has also developed a complementary
• integrating SEL and the model for implementing and sustaining
development of a supportive climate SEL initiatives at the school-district

into all school goals, priorities, level.59 Research suggests that classroom
initiatives, programs, and strategies; and school-wide SEL programs are most
likely to be implemented with quality and
• creating effective strategies to
sustained when they're aligned with district
communicate frequently with
priorities and supported by principals, district
parents to establish partnerships to administrators, school boards, and teacher
enhance children's social-emotional
unions.60 The left side of figure 1 shows the
competence and positive behavior;
critical elements that districts must provide:
cultivating commitment and support for SEL;
• coordinating with specialized mental-
assessing resources and needs; establishing
health services to align approaches
programs at multiple levels; and establishing
for building children's skills and
systems for measurement and continuous
managing their behavior in different
contexts; and improvement.

To demonstrate that its school- and district-

• establishing a learning community
wide models are feasible and produce
among school staff members to
measurable impacts on student outcomes,
encourage reflection and use of data
CASEL is working with eight large urban
to improve SEL practice and student
outcomes. districts: Anchorage, AK; Austin, TX;
Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Nashville,
Finally, to improve SEL programs and TN; Oakland, CA; Sacramento, CA; and
make decisions about their future, leaders
Washoe County, NV.61 So far, a third-
should continuously assess stakeholders'
party evaluation has found that in the first
perspectives, program implementation,three to four years, districts and schools
students' outcomes, school and districtsuccessfully implemented evidence-based
SELand
resources, new state and federal policies, programming, aligned SEL with other
scientific advances. programs and with diverse district priorities,
enhanced students' academic performance,
At the school level, CASEL has created a
and reduced discipline referrals.62
model and set of tools to support school-wide
As much as we need infrastructure at
SEL.57 Schools that adopt this model form
an SEL leadership team that tackles sixthe
keyschool and district levels to support
implementation by classroom teachers, we
activities: creating a vision and developing
goals; assessing needs and resources; also need infrastructure to support vertical
providing professional development to integration of SEL programming across
promote student SEL; implementing tiers based on level of need. Observers
evidence-based SEL interventions; have noted a lack of coordination and

VOL. 27 / NO. 1 / SPRING 2017 25

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Mark T. Greenberg, Celene E. Domitrovich, Roger P. Weissberg, and Joseph A. Durlak

fragmentation among school-based mental fixes, isolated from everyday educational

health services.63 Its rare to see school practices. As a result, schools often take on
providers (classroom teachers, counselors, a hodgepodge of prevention, treatment, and
special-needs teachers, and psychologists) youth-development initiatives with little
coordinate their services, and its even rarer direction, coordination, sustainability, or
to see coordination with mental-health impact.66 Children will benefit the most when
service providers contracted from local we find commonalities and coordinate across

agencies. contexts and levels of service.67

Moreover, the work of professionals such We know that universal SEL interventions
as school counselors, social workers, and can reduce problems such as aggression,
psychologists should be coordinated with noncompliance, and emotional distress.68
universal efforts in the classroom and the But not every universal SEL program can
school so that children may interact with be expected to produce the same degree
adults who use the same language and of change, and we need more research to
promote the same skills. For students who find the best ways to integrate concepts and
need more support, such professionals programs across tiers of service need. Surely,
supplement classroom-based instruction, if children encounter common language and
often through small group work. But few skills across universal and targeted services,
classroom teachers are taught the skills that consistent environment will help them
required to reinforce and support the develop their own SEL skills and improve
competencies children learn during these their competence.69
groups. We also need training for local
To achieve the coordinated framework
providers of evidenced-based mental health
services (such as community mental health we propose will require stronger program

programs) to connect them to whats being development and evaluation. This in turn

done in schools.64 Once these professionals will require teachers, administrators,

are made aware of the social-emotional counselors, and therapists to see the value
of collaboration on behalf of children s
content and instructional practices that
outcomes. Moreover, schools will need
teachers are using in classrooms, they can
to spearhead such collaboration and use
integrate these approaches into their own
work with students.65 common assessments to evaluate progress
among children and among the programs
A key challenge will be to synthesize themselves. To encourage wider use
research from different disciplines so that of evidence-based comprehensive and
we recognize the essential elements of systematic SEL programming, schools
diverse programs and policies that support must also collaborate with other interested
coordination between universal modes parties, including policy makers, funders,
and tiered services. The next step is to administrators, parents, researchers, and
put these essential elements in place to program developers. Each group has an
sustain comprehensive school- and district- important role to play in melding theory,
wide SEL programming. Typically, SEL research, practice, and policy so that they
programs are introduced in schools as a work together to achieve the public health
fragmented succession of fads or quick impact we all desire.

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 Social and Emotional Learning as a Public Health Approach to Education

Conclusions of SEL that involve entire schools and

school districts, partner with families, and

The past two decades have seen an explosionare coordinated with community programs.
of research and practice in the development,
The second component is to fully integrate
implementation, and evaluation of SEL universal SEL models with services at other
programs and policies. Research has shown
tiers, giving schools a common framework
that when evidence-based SEL programs
to promote wellbeing and school success
are effectively implemented, they lead to
and to prevent mental-health disorders. To
measurable and potentially long-lasting
advance the science and practice of school-
improvements in various domains of
based prevention, researchers, educators,
children's lives. We advocate for placing SEL
within a larger public health framework for and policy makers must work together to
education, with two essential components. design evidence-based, comprehensive SEL
The first is to go beyond the classroom to programs that can substantially improve our
develop comprehensive universal models communities' public health.

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Mark T. Greenberg, Celene E. Domitrovich, Roger P. Weissberg , and Joseph A. Durlak

ENDNOTES

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32 THE FUTURE OF CHILDREN

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