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What is the the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, or CASEL?

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.”

In its history section on its website, the organization says, “Both CASEL and the term ‘social and emotional learning’ emerged from a meeting in 1994 hosted by the Fetzer Institute.” From 1996 through 2006, CASEL was based at the University of Illinois at Chicago. 

In 2006, CASEL registered with the Secretary of State in Illinois as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, based in Chicago (EIN: 20-5884201).

Since its creation in 2016, the Collaborating States Initiative “has scaled state-level SEL work from 8 states to over 40 states and one U.S. territory, representing more than 90% of districts, schools, teachers, and students in the US,” according to CASEL’s website.

What services does CASEL offer?  

CASEL says it is engaged in four areas of services. First, it “compiles and synthesizes research that promotes SEL in addition to conducting their own original research.”

Second, it “assists in implementing SEL” with 20 “partner school districts, reaching 1.7 million students in 3,000 schools and “develops resources to help guide implementation of SEL.” Its consultants also “create materials to help stakeholders ‘make a compelling case’ for SEL in their school district based off of their research.”

Thirdly, CASEL “engages in lobbying at both the state and federal level,” working with a  network, the “Collaborating States Initiative,” with 30 “participating states.”

One specific goal of the initiative is to influence the state educational strategic planning process so that “state educational goals and objectives advance” social and emotional learning. According to CASEL, 50 states currently have preschool competencies and standards in social and emotional learning, and 18 states have K-12 competencies and standards. At the federal level, CASEL says its focus is working to increase funding for social and emotional learning research. 

CASEL assists in implementing social and emotional learning within school districts in a variety of ways. The organization has consultants that run trainings and promote social and emotional learning within the school district, offering “evidence” to support implementation, and determining the “cost model” of implementation.

It offers to “build foundational support” for social and emotional learning and pitch administration on social and emotional learning, as well as guides for implementation.

There are four case studies of its work found at this link: Austin Independent School District, Chicago Public Schools, Washoe County School District and Wheaton-Warrenville Community School District.

The organization states that about half of its program revenue comes from CASEL consultant trainings. The other half comes from its major annual event, “SEL Exchange,” held every October and attended by K-12 staff and administrators. It gets sponsorships for the event.

CASEL has consultants that offer “technical support” and training to K-12 schools. From the case studies on the organization’s website it seems that the consultants are typically involved on an ongoing basis after the SEL is implemented. 

The 20 school districts that are a part of CASEL’s Collaborating Districts Initiative typically get a $250,000 grant over three years from NoVo Foundation, along with two CASEL consultants.

CASEL consultants also provide “professional development and coaching to the districts that are part of…  [the] SEL professional learning community (PLC).”  

CASEL consultants facilitate training for partner school districts. For example, they hosted one-day and two-day SEL retreats they hosted for the Washoe Community School District Curriculum and Instruction Department of the Washoe County School District. 

In June 2020, CASEL posted a webinar that included “social and emotional learning” as a “lever for equity and social justice.” It was titled: “SEL as a Lever for Equity and Social Justice.” 

What K-12 work has CASEL done?

• Published “The CASEL Guide to Schoolwide Social and Emotional Learning”
• In 2020, the chief executive officer, Karen Niemi, wrote an article, “CASEL Is Updating the Most Widely Recognized Definition of Social-Emotional Learning.”
• “Here’s Why ‘Social Emotional Learning’ Now a Vehicle for Critical Race Theory.”
• “How ‘Socio-Emotional Learning’ Became Another Vehicle For Anti-White Racism In Schools”

ALASKA

Anchorage School District

CASEL features the work in the school district on its website, listing districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative. (see above) Anchorage School District also spells out its work in social and emotional learning on its website.

Service Agreement

CASEL has been involved in Anchorage School District for “three decades,” according to CASEL.

In an agreement revised on Feb. 3, 2016, Anchorage School District agreed to pay CASEL $25,000 for services from April 1, 2016, through April 1, 2017, developing a “system that combines SEL, AK Cultural Standards and the Danielson Framework that will maximize educator effectiveness to meet the social and emotional needs of a diverse student population,” according to page nine of the agreement.

Service Agreement

On May 3, 2016, Anchorage School District’s executive director of professional learning signed an agreement with CASEL to pay the government contractor $13,000 for an “analysis of the districts’ SEL-related data,” in order to “determine the impact of SEL implementation activities and form future plans for SEL data collection, use and continuous improvement,” according to Appendix A on page nine of the agreement.

The services would be provided April 1, 2016, through June 30, 2016.

The contracts included: one site visit from CASEL’s director of assessment and continuous improvement, meeting with school and district leadership teams and community organizations; one site visit from a CASEL research associate; one one-hour collaboration calls [sic] monthly with two CASEL staff members, with three calls over a year’s time, “added-on to scheduled calls”; and three days of data analysis by CASEL’s director of assessment and continuous improvement.

It said, “The collaboration will produce analysis findings that can be presented to district leadership, the school board, the community, and any other key stakeholder.”

Anchorage School District has an official website page dedicated to “Social and Emotional Learning.”

CALIFORNIA

Oakland Unified School District

Oakland Unified School District has an official page on its website dedicated to its “social and emotional learning.” The school district began working with CASEL in 2012.

The school district website notes: “In 2011, CASEL launched a national initiative called the Collaborating Districts Initiative, aimed at supporting districts’ capacities to promote SEL for all students. One year later, OUSD joined the CDI to work with and learn from the other 7 participating school districts. The CDI recognizes that positive student outcomes depend on improving classrooms and schools, which in turn depends on improving districtwide capacities and conditions. For more information on CASEL’s Collaborating Districts Initiative, click here.”

As of Oct. 12, 2021, CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative. (see above)

Sacramento City Unified School District

A media outlet documented CASEL’s work in the school district in 2013. As of Oct. 12, 2021, CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative. (see above)

COLORADO

CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative (see above).

Denver Public Schools

Starting in 2017, Denver Public Schools started partnering with CASEL. It put “social and emotional learning” into its master plan starting in 2020. 

As of Oct. 12, 2021, Denver Public Schools identified “social and emotional learning” on its website as one of its “priorities.” The school district says: “Social emotional and mental health is an essential foundation for student learning.”

FLORIDA

The School District of Palm Beach County

Consultant Agreement

On Oct. 19, 2017, The School District of Palm Beach County signed a consultant agreement to pay CASEL $150,000 for services from Oct. 19, 2017, through Sept. 30, 2018, at a cost of $15,000 per month for 10 months.

As part of the “Scope of Services,” in Attachment A, CASEL agreed to “provide support, training, and guidance in developing and executing a plan for systemic implementation of social and emotional learning (SEL).”

As of mid-October 2021, The School District of Palm Beach County promotes “social and emotional learning” on its website with a list of “CASEL Core Competencies.” CASEL also listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative. (see above)

CASEL is involved with the school district through a partnership with the Wallace Foundation.

Consultant Agreement

On Sept. 12, 2018, The School District of Palm Beach County signed a consulting agreement with CASEL to pay the contractor $150,000 for the same services as the year before. Its CASEL staff consultant was listed as Sharon Raven. The source of the funds was listed as the “PSELI Wallace Foundation Grant.” The contract period was from Sept. 13, 2018, through Aug. 31, 2019.

Consultant Agreement

On Sept. 26, 2019, The School District of Palm Beach County signed a consulting agreement with CASEL to pay the contractor $150,000 for the same services as the two years before. Its CASEL staff consultant was listed again as Sharon Raven. The source of the funds was also listed again as the “PSELI Wallace Foundation Grant.” The contract period was from Sept. 26, 2019, through Aug. 31, 2020.

Consultant Agreement

On Sept. 17, 2020, The School District of Palm Beach County signed a consulting agreement with CASEL to pay the contractor $120,000 for the same services as the years earlier. Its CASEL staff consultant was listed again as Sharon Raven. The source of the funds was also listed again as the “The Wallace PSELI Foundation Grant.” The contract period was from Sept. 29, 2020, through Aug. 31, 2020.

GEORGIA

Atlanta Public Schools 

CASEL featured the work in Atlanta Public Schools on its website, listing districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative. (see above)

It started district-level implementation of social and emotional learning during the 2015-2016 school year.

HAWAII

Hawaii Public Schools 

In April 2018, Hawaii Public Schools promoted social emotional learning in a training. In 2021, the Hawaii State Department of Education published an article by a teacher, “prioritizing SEL in our schools.”

ILLINOIS

Chicago Public Schools

CASEL includes Chicago Public Schools among its success stories on its website.

Chicago Public Schools has an Office of Social and Emotional Learning. CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative (see above).

DuPage Regional Office Of Education

Community Unit School District 200

CASEL features its work with the Community Unit School District 200, which it describes as “Wheaton-Warrenville Community School District,” on its website.

The school district discusses “social and emotional learning” on its website, stating, “Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.”

INDIANA

Carmel

MARYLAND 

Baltimore City Public Schools

Baltimore City Public Schools established a partnership with CASEL during the 2017-2018 school year. On its website, as of Oct. 12, 2021, the school district included “social and emotional learning” as part of its blueprint for “student wholeness.”

CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative (see above).

MASSACHUSETTS

Boston Public Schools 

MINNESOTA

Minneapolis Public Schools

On its website, Minneapolis Public Schools promotes “Equity Grounded Social & Emotional Learning.”

Minneapolis Public Schools partnered with CASEL in 2017. As of Oct. 12, 2021, CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative. (see above)

NEVADA

Washoe County School District

In 2012, Washoe County School District, based in Reno, Nevada, implemented “social and emotional learning.”

As of Oct. 12, 2021, CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative (see above). The school district promotes social and emotional learning on its website, including “SEL Signature Practices.”

CASEL promotes work with the school district on its website.

NORTH CAROLINA

Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, North Carolina

Guilford County Schools has a dedicated Social Emotional Learning Department.

Partnered with CASEL in 2019. As of Oct. 12, 2021, CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative. (see above)

CASEL has a blog post about this partnership here

OKLAHOMA

As of Oct. 12, 2021, CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative. (see above)

OHIO

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District

Implemented social and emotional learning in 2007. As of Oct. 12, 2021, it featured CASEL on its official school website.

The Warren City Schools

CASEL partnered with Warren City Schools in 2010. As of Oct. 12, 2021, Warren City Schools featured social and emotional learning on its official website.

CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative (see above).

OKLAHOMA

Tulsa Public Schools

On its website, Tulsa Public Schools outlines the importance of “social and emotional learning” to school district officials.

CASEL began working with Tulsa Public Schools in 2017.

CASEL is involved with the school district through a partnership with the Wallace Foundation.

TENNESSEE

On its website, chronicling its social and emotional learning, Metro Nashville Public Schools says it is a “partner” of CASEL. CASEL began working with Metro Nashville Public Schools in 2012. As of Oct. 12, 2021, CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative (see above).

TEXAS

Austin Independent School District

Austin Independent School District first added social and emotional learning to its strategic plan in 2011. By 2015-2016, all schools in the district were implementing social and emotional learning with CASEL services.

As of Oct. 12, 2021, CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative (see above).

The school district promotes “social and emotional learning” on its website, stating, “In Austin ISD, we believe that Social Emotional Learning is at the heart of equity-centered systems and structures. In an effort to grow this belief into a reality, the SEL and Cultural Proficiency and Inclusiveness department has adopted a new statement of purpose for our work together. Our goal is to use and grow our social and emotional skills while creating brave, respectful, collaborative spaces to support all students, staff, families and communities throughout our district.”

CASEL promotes its work in Austin Independent School District on its website, writing: “A highly structured five-year AISD implementation plan features SEL evidence-based programs. SEL specialists provide professional development for SEL leadership teams and educators at all school sites, followed by on-site coaching.”

Dallas Independent School District

CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative (see above).

On a page dedicated to “SEL” on its website, Dallas Independent School District advertised “Ongoing Webinars from External Partners,” noting, “As part of the CASEL CARES initiative, CASEL is offering free webinars every Friday to address how SEL can be most helpful in response to today’s circumstances.

Unsure when this partnership started but found an article announcing it in 2017

CASEL is involved in Dallas Independent School District through a partnership with the Wallace Foundation.

El Paso Independent School District

In 2016, El Paso Independent School District partnered with CASEL. As of Oct. 12, 2021, CASEL listed the school district on its website, identifying districts participating in its Collaborating Districts Initiative (see above). On its official website, the school district promotes “social and emotional learning” with a CASEL video headlined, “What is SEL?”