Social-emotional learning programs have now been in schools for several years, and in many cases, even longer. They aim to teach kids how to regulate their emotions, empathize with peers, make responsible decisions, and build other life skills. A little more than half of the states have adopted standards for the use of SEL in K-12. But in many places, parents and community members have pushed back against the integration of SEL into district curricula, citing concerns that the programs have a liberal political agenda. Even so, growing concerns about students’ declining social skills due to the overuse of cellphones and social media are prompting many schools to use SEL programs to address those concerns.
Join us to:
• Get insights from leading experts on the continued use and expansion of SEL programs in K-12 schools
• Discover which SEL strategies are working best and which are not working
• Find out which SEL skills need the most attention at this moment in time
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Event Agenda
2:00pm ET
Welcome & Introduction
We’ll highlight key insights from recent reporting on social-emotional learning.
Kevin Bushweller oversees coverage of educational technology and learning environments for Education Week.
2:10pm ET
Interactive Session: What Educators Really Think About SEL
Participants will hear a mix of perspectives about SEL from teachers, principals, and district leaders. They will then be asked to react to those perspectives, and we will share the reactions with the audience.
Kevin Bushweller oversees coverage of educational technology and learning environments for Education Week.
2:20pm ET
Industry Perspective: Online, Offline, and Beyond: Skill-Building Strategies for Digital Well-Being
Sponsor content provided by Second Step (Committee for Children)
Discover how policy and practice can provide strong life skills that give students the tools they need to competently navigate the digital world. In this session, we’ll explore how these tools work as a necessary extension to promote student mental well-being when they are online, offline, and in the classroom.
Discover how policy and practice can provide strong life skills that give students the tools they need to competently navigate the digital world. In this session, we’ll explore how these tools work as a necessary extension to promote student mental well-being when they are online, offline, and in the classroom.
Stefani Kauppila
Director, Curriculum,
Committee for Children
Stefani Kauppila leads the team responsible for the vision and strategy behind Committee for Children’s innovative social-emotional learning (SEL) programs. She was drawn to Committee for Children’s research-based approach and its vision of safe children thriving in a just and peaceful world. She previously worked as an elementary and middle school teacher before developing web-based mathematics curricula at DreamBox Learning. It was there that she discovered a talent for designing learning experiences in technological environments and a passion for leading teams and forming partnerships with educators and families.
2:30pm ET
Panel Discussion: What Works, What Doesn’t, and a Look Ahead
The emphasis on teaching social-emotional learning continues to expand across K-12 schools, especially at the high school level. Eighty-three percent of principals reported in 2024 that their schools use an SEL curriculum or program, up from 73 percent in the 2021-22 school year, according to a nationally representative survey by RAND and the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. But critics say its inclusion in the curriculum de-emphasizes academic learning and often promotes a politically liberal agenda that does not align with the beliefs of many parents and educators. During this session, experts and educators will discuss the SEL approaches that work best, and those that don’t, and predict how SEL programs might change in the years ahead.
Alyson Klein is an assistant editor for Education Week.
Rosie Rodriguez
School Counselor,
Chester E. Jordan Elementary School, TX
Rosie Rodriguez is an elementary school counselor at Chester E. Jordan Elementary School in El Paso, Texas. Prior to beginning her career as a school counselor in 2013, she was a fourth-grade teacher in the Socorro Independent School District since 2005. Rodriguez earned her undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with a concentration in Elementary Education, from the University of Texas at El Paso and her master’s degree in School Counseling from Sul Ross State University. Throughout her career she has presented at professional school counseling conferences at the district, state, and national levels. Rodriguez has earned multiple school counseling awards including one Bronze, two Silver, and one Gold award from The Lone Star State School Counselor Association (LSSSCA). Most recently, Rodriguez was awarded the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) Award for her comprehensive school counseling program during the 2020-2021school year.
Trish Shaffer
Director, Multi-Tiered System of Supports,
Washoe County School District, NV
Trish Shaffer is a dynamic and passionate educational leader who champions the belief that every individual has the potential to excel and deserves to be celebrated for all they bring to the world. With extensive experience in both special and general education, spanning from pre-kindergarten to university levels, Trish is dedicated to helping students and adults not just succeed, but truly thrive.
Currently, Trish oversees the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Restorative Practices, and Behavioral Health and Management for the Washoe County School District (WCSD) in Northern Nevada. Her “boots on the ground” experience is complemented by her role as a consultant and technical advisor for numerous schools and districts.
Currently, Trish oversees the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Restorative Practices, and Behavioral Health and Management for the Washoe County School District (WCSD) in Northern Nevada. Her “boots on the ground” experience is complemented by her role as a consultant and technical advisor for numerous schools and districts.
Karen VanAusdal
Senior Director of Practice,
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
VanAusdal is senior director of practice at the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). She oversees multiple initiatives to support and scale SEL in school districts and with collaborators in the field. Previously, she served as executive director for the Office of Social and Emotional Learning in the Chicago Public Schools. VanAusdal has worked in multiple youth-serving organizations and began her career as an elementary school teacher.
3:15pm ET
Industry Perspective: Engaging And Connecting with Students through the Magic of Archery
Sponsor content provided by NASP - National Archery in the Schools Program
Engaged and connected students learn better. Students that want to be present at school can have a much deeper learning experience. The in-school offering of archery provides students that are relatively disconnected with a new skill set which often endears them to the sport and motivates them. Discover how educators can leverage this newfound skill for other disciplines and outcomes to truly deepen the learning experience.
Engaged and connected students learn better. Students that want to be present at school can have a much deeper learning experience. The in-school offering of archery provides students that are relatively disconnected with a new skill set which often endears them to the sport and motivates them. Discover how educators can leverage this newfound skill for other disciplines and outcomes to truly deepen the learning experience.
Dr. Tommy Floyd
President,
National Archery in the Schools Program
“Tommy” originally became involved in NASP® in 2003 while serving as a high school principal and NASP® coach. He has seen NASP® promote constructive teacher/student relationships, academic motivation, and the promotion of students becoming involved with their school – many for the first time. Tommy has served as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in public education in Kentucky schools for over 30 years.
3:25pm ET
Panel Discussion: Building Independent Thinkers Who Can Manage Their Emotions
Being able to manage emotions, behavior, and attention are skills that humans acquire and develop over time, and the early elementary period is the prime time for learning and practicing these skills. But elementary educators are noticing that older elementary students—those in grades 3-5—are still struggling to develop those skills. That puts them at a disadvantage when they move on to secondary school and could explain why a good number of teachers and principals in middle and high school report that their students are struggling to direct their own learning, advocate for themselves, and take responsibility for their education. We will explore what steps elementary schools can take to help students learn to regulate their emotions and what secondary schools can do to help students become more independent thinkers and decision makers.
Lauraine Langreo is an Education Week staff writer, covering education technology and learning environments.
David Adams
Chief Executive Officer,
Urban Assembly
David Adams is the Chief Executive Officer of the Urban Assembly, a nonprofit school support organization that focuses on social-emotional learning. He started with the UA in 2014 as the Director of Social-Emotional Learning, where he created the Resilient Scholars Program (RSP), an approach to integrating SEL into curriculum and classroom practices across the UA network. RSP has grown into a national program, serving schools and districts in Los Angeles, Houston, Syracuse, and other cities. He also led the expansion of the organization into a model provider of school support, with an emphasis on innovation and equity in public education. In 2022, David was named one of Crain’s 40 Under 40 honorees and in 2021 he received the Champion of Equity Award from the American Consortium for Equity in Education. David sits on the board of CASEL and is an author of The Educator’s Practical Guide to Emotional Intelligence, and a co-author of the textbook Challenges to Integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs in Organizations. He is a Civil Affairs Officer in the Army Reserve and holds an M.Ed in Educational Psychology from Fordham University.
Jana Clark
Principal,
Boyd Elementary, TX
Jana Clark is the Principal at Boyd Elementary, a Title I school in Boyd ISD, located northwest of Dallas. With a background in secondary education, she brings a fresh perspective to elementary leadership, focusing on fostering a positive school culture and academic excellence. Jana was honored as the 2023 TASSP Assistant Principal of the Year and the 2024 NASSP State Assistant Principal. Her leadership is grounded in her Christian faith, emphasizing integrity, fairness, and equity in all aspects of her role. Jana is dedicated to building strong relationships with students, staff, and families, believing that listening and recognizing achievements are key to a thriving school community. Outside of work, she’s a proud wife and mother of two boys.
3:55pm ET
Interactive Session: SEL Impact on Academic Achievement and ‘Soft Skills’
This session will address key questions about the impact of SEL on student academic outcomes; on so-called “soft skills,” such as the ability to collaborate, communicate, be creative, and think critically; and the major challenges educators face when it comes to the use of social-emotional learning efforts. Participants will be asked to respond to a series of questions related to survey data of teachers, principals, and district leaders from the EdWeek Research Center about SEL programs in K-12 schools.
Lauraine Langreo is an Education Week staff writer, covering education technology and learning environments.
4:05pm ET
Closing Thoughts
We will review key takeaways from the forum.
Kevin Bushweller oversees coverage of educational technology and learning environments for Education Week.
