As U.S. public schools become increasingly diverse racially, culturally and economically, they are turning to social emotional programs to better serve the different ways in which students interact with and invest in schooling and their education. Social emotional learning (SEL)...
California ranks at or near the bottom of all states when it comes to the percentage of students with access to health and mental health care at schools. Yet, with $90 in added annual spending per student—which would total about...
PACE and the Learning Policy Institute hosted an event on how schools can be organized to support the whole child, which featured a series of panels with leading researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. Topics included:
The development of social-emotional skills within the CORE districts, a network of urban California school districts that serve more than 1 million students A new Policy Analysis for California study, " Trends in Student Social-Emotional Learning: Evidence from the CORE Districts,"...
Nowhere is a data-informed approach to social-emotional learning more pronounced than in California’s CORE Districts, which embarked on a groundbreaking effort in 2013 to capture a more holistic vision of student success and school quality. There, eight of the largest...
Nowhere is a data-informed approach to social-emotional learning more pronounced than in California's CORE Districts, which embarked on a groundbreaking effort in 2013 to capture a more holistic vision of student success and school quality. There, eight of the largest...
Students’ reports of whether they have developed a growth mindset continue to climb steadily throughout their K-12 years, but their assessments of their social awareness skills and feelings of self-efficacy drop sharply beginning in middle school, according to a recent...
As the conversation grows over how to measure SEL among students grows, gathering their own perspectives is an important part of the picture. States are also beginning to include student surveys as one piece of their accountability plans for the...
Like their state counterparts, state boards must both respond to crises and plan ahead. A focus on creating the best possible learning for all will help educators, students, and families emerge from this crisis on a stronger footing. This issue of...
Policy Analysis for California Education and CORE, an organization representing eight urban school districts in California, released a new practice brief highlighting lessons learned on implementing social and emotional learning programs from the CORE districts.
With an increased appreciation of students’ social-emotional skills among researchers and policy makers, many states and school districts are moving toward a systematic process to measure Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). In this study, we examine the measurement properties of California's CORE...
One in 4 California school districts received notice that they must work with county offices of education or with a new state agency to improve the education of at least one of their student groups that were ranked among the...
High school seniors around the country are feeling apathetic toward their classes during their final semester, which often carries over and negatively affects their freshman year of college. The epidemic, commonly known as “senioritis,” is the topic of a recent...
California has embraced Social Emotional Learning (SEL) as a crucial aspect of education, integrating emotional management, positive goal setting, empathy, and relationship skills into academic success. This commitment is evident in the state's adoption of SEL components in its educational standards and accountability systems. However, while the state is implementing surveys to gauge school climate, it's yet to fully understand how these relate to academic progress or link social-emotional learning to overall school improvement. The CORE districts have taken strides by measuring specific competencies like self-management and growth mindset, finding that these skills predict student performance at different academic levels. Yet, educators need guidance on using this data for improvement. PACE is studying the CORE districts' innovative accountability system to pinpoint successful policies and practices regarding SEL, aiming to reduce disparities among student sub-groups. Understanding how learning environments foster SEL can inform efforts to improve education across California and potentially nationally. Moving forward, California needs to focus on developing educators' capacity to utilize SEL data effectively and invest in integrating SEL in both school-day and expanded learning environments for continuous improvement.
When we think of school we too often picture rows of students sitting quietly at their desks, listening to the teacher or reading a textbook. This familiar image of a quiet classroom and docile students is and should be increasingly...
When we think of school we too often picture rows of students sitting quietly at their desks, listening to the teacher or reading a textbook. This familiar image of a quiet classroom and docile students is and should be increasingly...
A new study challenges the prevailing belief that improving school climate and reducing violence directly lead to enhanced academic performance. Analyzing data from California schools over time, it suggests a different causal relationship: improved academic performance appears to drive reduced violence and a better school climate, rather than the reverse. These findings underscore the importance of integrating social-emotional, climate, and violence reduction programs into broader academic reforms rather than treating them as separate entities. The study highlights the necessity of further research in diverse settings using both quantitative and qualitative methods to understand this causal process thoroughly. It emphasizes that schools striving for academic improvement should consider addressing issues of climate and victimization as part of their academic reform efforts, highlighting the potential positive impact on teacher-student relationships. Additionally, the study proposes integrating measures of climate, violence, and academics within state accountability systems, aligning with the Every Student Succeeds Act, to support school improvement initiatives. Such an integrated approach, the study argues, will not only enhance academic outcomes but also ensure student safety, support well-being, and foster positive behaviors.
As students transition through school—from the elementary to secondary grades, even from school to school—they often become uncertain about their sense of belonging. And that uncertainty can, in turn, translate to poorer cognitive skills and declining gains.
Evidence confirms that student skills other than academic achievement and ability predict a broad range of academic and life outcomes. This evidence, along with a new federal requirement that state accountability systems include an indicator of school quality or student...
For more than a decade, LGBTQ students have faced significant challenges in schools, enduring bullying and feeling unsafe, affecting their academic and mental well-being. California's groundbreaking law, AB-537, passed over 15 years ago, marked a pivotal moment, establishing comprehensive protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in education. In response, schools implemented inclusive measures such as teacher training, diverse curriculum, and support groups like gay-straight alliances (GSAs). While earlier studies focused on student perspectives, a recent study analyzes statewide data from over 3,700 teachers and nearly 100 principals in California. The findings reveal that schools emphasizing SOGI-inclusive policies experience reduced bullying, particularly in environments perceived as less safe by teachers, highlighting the significance of these policies in creating safer school climates. This research underscores the importance of combining and accessing varied data sources to gain a comprehensive understanding of school environments, ultimately shifting the focus from individual students to systemic approaches for creating inclusive and safe school environments for all students.
In recent years, interest has grown in school-based interventions targeting executive function to boost academic success. Executive function, crucial for goal-oriented behavior in academics, has shown correlations with weaker academic performance, notably in reading and math. However, uncertainties persist regarding a direct causal relationship. A comprehensive review of 67 studies revealed a moderate link between executive function and academic success, especially in K–12 reading and math. Yet, when accounting for background factors like socioeconomic status or parental education, only a few connections remained robust, suggesting a less straightforward association. While interventions displayed potential in enhancing executive function, they lacked substantial evidence directly connecting these improvements to academic progress. More thorough research is crucial to definitively establish whether enhancing executive function translates into improved academic performance before implementing widespread school programs.
When we think of elementary and secondary schools, many of us picture students in classrooms taught by lone teachers, overseen by a principal. In reality, many adults work in schools other than teachers and principals. It may be surprising to...
A new study delves into racial and ethnic disparities in academic achievement within California middle schools and their correlation with school climate, a concept encompassing safety, relationships, and participation opportunities. Analyzing data from the California School Climate, Health, and Learning Survey (Cal-SCHLS) across 754 middle schools, the research focuses on Black-White and Hispanic-White racial climate gaps. It identifies differences in students' perceptions of safety, relationships, and participation based on race within the same schools. Notably, Black students reported lower levels of safety and relationships compared to White peers, while Hispanic students experienced lower safety, relationships, and participation opportunities than their White counterparts. The study also links larger racial achievement gaps to corresponding disparities in perceived safety, relationships, and participation. It emphasizes the importance of considering subgroup-specific climates instead of a general school-level assessment. Particularly relevant for California's education system, which integrates school climate measures into its accountability systems, the study highlights the need for targeted action plans addressing diverse subgroup experiences to promote educational equity.
Researchers explore the correlation between classroom physical activity breaks and children meeting recommended daily activity levels, along with their classroom behavior. In California, where Physical Education (PE) is mandated every 10 days, but not daily, some schools incorporated 10-minute physical activity breaks within classrooms. Across 24 elementary schools in six districts, 70% of teachers attempted these breaks, with 44% regularly implementing them, averaging 15 minutes daily. Students in classrooms with these breaks were 75% more likely to meet the 30-minute daily activity goal and exhibited improved classroom behavior—less lack of effort, motivation, or inattention. Notably, only a third received mandated PE minutes, making classroom activity crucial. The findings suggest that evidence-based classroom physical activity breaks offer promise in ensuring adequate physical activity during school hours and positively impacting student behavior. Enforcing mandated PE minutes alongside classroom breaks could optimize physical activity opportunities for students.
The Head Start program, established in 1965, aims to enhance the school readiness of low-income children by providing comprehensive services, including education, health, and family support. This approach targets children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development, health, and family well-being. Researchers using the Head Start Impact Study (HSIS) examined if the program effectively supports at-risk children. By creating risk factors based on the program model, they aimed to determine if Head Start benefits children with higher risk profiles. Results showed a mix of outcomes: while there was no significant improvement in high-risk children’s pre-academic skills, teacher-reported behavior problems were slightly reduced, contrasting with maternal-reported behavior problems, which increased. This suggests Head Start might better address behavioral aspects than pre-academic readiness. The study highlighted the need for better tailoring services to high-risk children, especially in cognitive development, indicating the importance of ongoing research to enhance Head Start's responsiveness to individual needs for better outcomes in school readiness.
