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Why This Work Matters
An SEL approach integrated with a focus on school climate produces results
The Initiative’s commitment to school climate improvement and social-emotional learning (SEL) is based on decades of research. These studies show that a positive school climate with an emphasis on the development of SEL competencies in both students and adults, is associated with a wide variety of beneficial outcomes. These benefits, which are summarized below, are not just realized during the school years; students who graduate from schools with a healthy learning environment that promotes SEL feel more prepared for college, career and life success, and are more likely to give back to their communities.
Sustaining a positive school climate and incorporating SEL promotes:
- Increased motivation to learn and academic achievement
- Improvements in students’ self-esteem and self-concept
- Effective risk prevention and health promotion efforts
- Effective violence prevention in general and bullying prevention efforts in particular
- Increased student graduation rates
- Increased feelings of safety and respect
- Improvements in teacher morale and retention
- Resilience that buffers students from the negative impact of poverty and toxic stress
A sustained positive school climate that incorporates SEL is associated with:
- Reductions in substance abuse and other risky behaviors
- Decreased mental health issues
- Decreased student absenteeism
- Decreased rates of student suspension
- Decreased rate of aggressive behavior
