Durango School District 9-R announces new survey for students

On October 26, 2022, Durango School District 9-R sent an email to parents announcing that the district “will be launching a District-aligned social and behavioral skills survey via Abre” and that “students will complete the survey during Advisory on November 9th.” The email continues to explain:

The survey, designed by SSIS CoLab, will help students and staff better understand how students are performing in areas like self-management, responsible decision-making, ability to adapt to change, relationship skills and self-awareness, as well as mental health indicators related to learning and school success.

The email included a form for parents if they want to opt their children out of the surveys. However, students are given the survey if parents do not fill out the form by November 4.

The website for SSIS CoLab explains that the organization uses CASEL as a “guiding framework.” CASEL is an organization that works with school districts throughout the country to use SEL in an effort to push “equity” and “social justice” in education. On July 1, 2020, CASEL promoted “racial justice” in discussing its roadmap for reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. In explaining the importance of the reopening process for schools, the organization stated that “this moment called on all members of our school communities to deepen our social and emotional competencies and create equitable learning environments where all students and adults process, heal, and thrive.” CASEL also published a video in 2020 titled “SEL As a Lever for Equity and Social Justice.”