What is Social and Emotional Learning?
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.
SEL advances educational equity and excellence through authentic school-family-community partnerships to establish learning environments and experiences that feature trusting and collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction, and ongoing evaluation. SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities. (CASEL:
What is SEL?)
#SELday 2025
The fifth annual International Social-Emotional Learning or SEL Day is March 3, 2025. SEL Day and SEL Week offer a chance to collectively spread the word about the importance and impact of social-emotional learning right here in the Bluegrass State. Working together, we can raise awareness for SEL, bring on new SEL stakeholders across Kentucky, create artifacts that showcase SEL in action, share SEL best practices from our local schools and communities, and more!
Join us in celebrating International SEL Day on March 3, 2025, and SEL Week through March 7, 2025, in your school and community. Let's come together to make a positive difference in the lives of students and educators across our Commonwealth. Reference the #SELday One Pager for suggested activities.
Why is promoting SEL and mental health critical for schools?
SEL Impact and Supporting Research
What Skills Do Socially and Emotionally Competent People Have?
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Overview of SEL Components –
Short Video Series:
How do we get started?
Build Staff and Organizational Social Emotional Skills and Supports
- Guidance for schools
- Collaborative practices for teams and organizations
- Actions for Individuals
- Greater Good in Education: School Staff Wellbeing - Practices for cultivating the social and emotional well-being of school staff members.
- Medstar Health: Teacher Wellbeing Workbook
- COR Classrooms - The University of Virginia's Center for the Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning developed this suite of online learning modules focused on building positive relationships with students. The COR model addresses the essential pieces of a relationship and how they work together. Understanding this model empowers teachers to pay close attention to the different factors influencing their relationships, which in turn will help them form stronger and more positive connections with students.
Resources for Promoting Equity
Greater Good in Education provides:
- Key Readings from Black Educator-Leaders and Other Leaders of Color
- Resources to Support the Mental Health and Well-Being of Black Educators
- Practices for Students and Teachers
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) educator guide for addressing race and trauma in the classroom offers recommendations for creating and supporting safe and brave environments, modeling honesty and authenticity, honoring the impacts of history and systemic racism, and encouraging and empowering students as leaders.
Social, Emotional, and Academic Development Through an Equity Lens provides a framework and action items to address adult beliefs and mindsets as well as school and district policies to build relationships and create equitable learning environments that support positive social and emotional growth.
Committee for Children
Collaborate with Students
CASEL Tool Supporting Student Members of the SEL Team
Other Free Activity Banks and Evidence-based/informed Curricula
Kernels of Practice for SEL; Low Cost, Low Burden Strategies
Nurturing Gratitude from the Inside Out - 30 activities for grades K-8
Sanford Harmony - A program for Pre-K-6 grade students designed to foster inter-gender communication and understanding, connection, and community both in and outside the classroom and develop boys and girls into compassionate and caring adults.
InspireED - free resources, designed by teens, educators, and SEL experts, empower students to work together to create more positive school climates and foster greater wellbeing in their schools and communities.
Making SEL More Relevant to Teens - offers social and emotional learning activities that are designed to address high school students’ need for status and respect.
Greater Good in Education - free online resource that distills strategies and practices for the social, emotional, and ethical development of students and the adults who work with them, synthesizing the top insights and best practices from science, programs, and practitioners.
The CASEL Guide to School wide SEL Essentials - a printable compilation of key activities and tools that leads school-based teams through a process for systemic SEL implementation. This printable summary offers a compact set of essential tools for use during professional learning or as a quick reference for coaches and SEL team leaders.
Global Game Changers - provides free curriculum and resources that use service learning and talent development as tools to nurture children's social, emotional, leadership, and academic growth in-school, after school and at home.
Program and Intervention Clearinghouse Sites
Navigate the Complex Field of Social and Emotional Learning - By Harvard University
CASEL Program Guides
What Works Clearinghouse
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Model Programs Guide
School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation System (SHAPE) Resource Center
The Wallace Foundation Knowledge Center: Social and Emotional Learning
Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety
Request for Assistance and/or Training
Schools and districts seeking assistance from the Division of Student Success, Safe and Supportive Schools Branch can complete the Request for Assistance and/or Training form. A program consultant will respond in a timely fashion when the request has been submitted.