Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Professional Development Initiative

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is defined as ”the process through which children enhance their ability to integrate thinking, feeling, and behaving to achieve important life tasks. Those competent in SEL are able to recognize and manage their emotions, establish healthy relationships, set positive goals, meet personal and social needs, and make responsible and ethical decisions. (Elias et al, 1997; Payton et al, 2000.)  Considered within a traditional school context, SEL underscores the necessity to attend to a child’s social and emotional development in order to maximize that child’s opportunity to succeed in school. The research is clear that SEL has a significantly positive impact on children’s attitudes, behaviors and school performance

In 2003, Illinois’ state government passed the Children’s Mental Health Act, which legislated that all school districts create policies that address children’s social and emotional development; and that the State Board of Education (ISBE) develop social and emotional learning standards and mandate their implementation in all public schools. With this Act, Illinois became the first state to recognize – through legislation – the importance of social and emotional development to children’s ability to achieve academic success.     

The SEL Standards were created and approved in 2005.  Two years later the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership (ICMHP) joined with the ISBE, the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), and the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority (IVPA) to begin implementing the statewide SEL Standards Professional Development Project (Project), through two grant programs. With this funding, a statewide Cadre of professionals was developed to train and work with school districts to implement the Standards.

The SEL Standards Professional Development Project has provided Illinois the opportunity to pilot a statewide model of SEL implementation training and support for its schools. Since 2007, 75 schools across 37 districts have been trained and coached to embed social and emotional learning into schoolwide culture and instructional practice, teaching students – with intention – the social-emotional skills necessary to enhance academic performance and general well-being. The ICMHP looks forward to sharing the results of this initial three-year process in a summative report on the due in the summer of 2010.

Moving forward, the ICMHP will to continue to work on behalf of ISBE to support Illinois schools in their efforts to implement SEL and the state SEL Standards.  Starting July 1, 2010, SEL implementation training will be provided to interested parties at no cost. SEL Trainers will train school/school district teams and others based upon request and identified need. The level and type of training provided will be determined by an SEL needs/strengths assessment, conducted jointly by the SEL Trainer and school. Those schools that choose to engage in a full implementation process will receive monthly coaching, in addition to training, to support that process.

The Children’s Mental Health Partnership continues to embrace our opportunity to contribute to Illinois’ groundbreaking efforts to effectively address the social and emotional needs of school age children. We look forward to increasing our capacity to serve Illinois schools on behalf of the State Board of Education.