Council Bluffs Community School District Used CASEL’s Social Emotional Learning Framework and Panorama Student Surveys

Council Bluffs Community School District in Council Bluffs, Iowa, used Panorama Student Surveys in 2017 as part of their CASEL Social Emotional Learning initiative. Social Emotional Learning continues today in Council Bluffs Community School District. 

In Oct. 2018, Dr. Corey Vorthman, who was then the Chief Academic Officer of Council Bluffs Community School District, shared that the district would use Panorama Student Surveys and the CASEL SEL framework. 

Panorama and CASEL, or the Collaborative of Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning are two large and influential education consultants.

In 2013 Panorama Education emerged nationally as a company that conducts “surveys of students, parents, teachers, and staff” and “analyzes this data and presents teachers and administrators with clear and constructive feedback that they can use to improve their teaching and their schools.”

According to TechCrunch.com, “Partners also participated in the financing, which brings the Boston-based company’s total raised since its 2012 inception to $105 million.

Panorama declined to reveal at what valuation the Series C was raised, nor did it provide any specific financial growth metrics. CEO and co-founder Aaron Feuer did say the company now serves 13 million students in 23,000 schools across the United States, which means that 25% of American students are enrolled in a district served by Panorama today. “

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, or CASEL, describes itself as a “trusted source for knowledge about high-quality, evidence-based social and emotional learning,” known as “SEL.” CASEL says it “supports educators and policy leaders and enhances the experiences and outcomes for all PreK-12 students.”

Social Emotional Learning is still taught in Council Bluffs Community School District. 

According to an Aug. 2022 article from Omaha’s KMTV3, the Iowa Department of Education, which oversees public education in Iowa, gives money to schools to engage in Social Emotional Learning.

The College View Elementary School handbook, published in Aug. 2022, states that Social Emotional Learning is still taught.

“Through key concept questions and our Approaches to Learning, our students become inquirers in and outside of school. Dedicated time to Social Emotional Learning (SEL) allows teachers to instruct on self-management skills and social skills. At the culmination of our Primary Years Programme, 5th graders conduct small group research projects with a requirement to take action. It is a demonstration of the learning acquired while in attendance at our school. It is our goal to motivate our students so they acquire the skills to be internationally-minded and impactful global citizens.”

Public schools in Council Bluffs Community School District have an average math proficiency score of 62% (versus the Iowa public school average of 70%) and reading proficiency score of 55% (versus the 68% statewide average).