Social emotional learning (SEL), prevalent since the 1960's, is intended to meet the needs of the whole child (Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning [CASEL], n.d.). Over the last three years, the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic infiltrated society, and stressors during the pandemic created challenges for families and educators. At the beginning of the pandemic, students were disconnected physically from schools, and depending on the resources of schools and families, students had various modalities to connect with school. Extracurricular activities ceased at the beginning of the pandemic, and students lost access to mental health support, all impacting the SEL needs of students. As students returned to school in person, the SEL needs of students increased, and principals were faced with finding resources and strategies to meet those needs. Several research studies exist on the impacts of various models of SEL and trauma-informed practices, but there is little research on administrator perceptions of SEL. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to identify elementary school principal perceptions on the SEL needs of students, aligned to the CASEL framework, during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the resources and strategies needed and used to meet the SEL needs of students. Eight elementary school principals from one suburban school division in Virginia were interviewed. Elementary school principals reported environmental factors that may have increased self-management and relationship skill deficits for students. Using a variety of resources and strategies, elementary school principals have seen improvement in SEL needs of students when staff explicitly teach SEL. Elementary school principals desire more resources to meet the SEL needs of students but are faced with funding challenges and a lack of qualified candidates. To meet the SEL needs of students, it is recommended that school divisions work with local, state, and federal funding sources, as well as universities and colleges to provide additional support and resources. It is a moral imperative of elementary school principals to demand more support to meet the SEL needs of elementary students. / Doctor of Education / The purpose of this qualitative research study was to identify elementary school principal perceptions on the social emotional learning (SEL) needs of students, aligned to the CASEL framework, during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the resources and strategies needed and used to meet the SEL needs of students. The COVID-19 pandemic brought on sickness, death, anxiety, and depression while educational and family structures changed. Schools closed physically in the beginning of the pandemic, impacting the connectivity of students with one another and with teachers. Additionally, extracurricular activities ceased for some time, and students did not have the same consistent access to medical or mental health providers, all impacting the mental well-being of children. Families were also impacted economically and socially by the pandemic. As students returned to school in person, educators were challenged to meet the SEL needs of students during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research study investigated elementary principal perceptions on the SEL needs of students and examined the resources and strategies needed and used to support the SEL needs of students. Eight elementary school principals were interviewed from one suburban school division in Virginia. The elementary school principals reported an increase in the SEL needs of students and described a variety of resources and strategies used to support the SEL needs. While SEL needs are improving when elementary school principals and school staff focus resources and strategies to improve SEL deficits, the elementary school principals reported needing more resources to meet the SEL needs of students. Elementary school principals described challenges in funding and a lack of qualified candidates. To lessen those challenges, elementary school principals should demand more resources through local, state, and federal agencies to support the SEL needs of students.

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) (2018) specified that "integrating SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) with instructional practices and academic content has become a growing priority" (p. 1). This priority originates from research that suggests SEL promotes positive student and long-term community outcomes, particularly in secondary schools. This canon of research, however, only reviews the outcomes of implementing purchasable curricula, not content-embedded SEL. The effectiveness of content-embedded SEL instruction, which comprises a large portion of how SEL is implemented at the secondary level (CASEL, 2018; Hart et al., 2013), cannot be effectively measured or predicted because there is little to no identified research regarding three essential factors: how teachers embed SEL, how teachers assess content-embedded SEL, and teachers' perceived readiness to embed SEL. The purpose of this research was to identify the methods secondary teachers indicate they use to implement and assess content-embedded SEL instruction and their perceived preparedness to do so. Educational leaders may be better able to evaluate the effectiveness of content-embedded SEL instruction and improve its implementation with this knowledge. Using a qualitative design, secondary teachers were interviewed to identify how they embed SEL into their instruction, how they assess SEL, and how prepared they perceive they are to deliver content-embedded SEL instruction. This research suggests that expectations for embedding and documenting SEL vary, but teachers appear to be implementing content-embedded SEL nevertheless. Furthermore, teachers recognize that pre-curated resources or lessons are provided to assist them in embedding SEL but appear to rely heavily upon their own teacher-created resources. Among these activities, teachers rely upon opportunities for reflection and choice and voice activities, but no one instructional strategy or manipulative was preferred overall. Teachers perceive student progress in SEL via observation of student behaviors, interactions, and responses both formally and informally. Regarding their preparedness to teach SEL, teachers perceive that their personal SEL proficiencies directly affect their abilities to teach them. Finally, teachers prefer experiential professional learning situations for SEL, and perceive that time to revisit and reflect in smaller, collaborative settings is an effective process for learning to implement SEL, including the use of specialists. / Doctor of Education / Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is an improvement strategy that has gained popularity in the past decade. Results from research that suggest SEL develops beneficial student and long-term community effects have led to substantial efforts to spread SEL instruction, especially in middle and high schools. However, the research upon which these efforts are based only reviews the benefits of using purchasable programming, not SEL that teachers embed into their content. The success of content-embedded SEL, which makes up a large percentage of how SEL is employed in middle and high schools (CASEL, 2018; Hart et al., 2013), cannot be accurately measured or predicted because there is little to no identified information about three important factors: how teachers embed SEL, how teachers measure content-embedded SEL, and teachers' perceived readiness to embed SEL. The purpose of this research was to identify the methods middle and high school teachers indicate they use to embed and measure SEL and their perceived preparedness to do so. Educational leaders may be better able to measure the success of content-embedded SEL and improve its use with this knowledge. Middle and high school teachers were interviewed to identify how they embed SEL, how they measure SEL, and how prepared they perceive they are to embed SEL. This research suggests that expectations for embedding and recording SEL vary, but teachers still appear to be embedding SEL. Additionally, teachers understand that pre-curated resources or lessons are provided to assist them in embedding SEL but appear to rely more heavily upon their own resources. Among these activities, teachers rely upon opportunities for reflection and choice and voice activities, but no one teaching strategy was preferred overall. Teachers recognize student development in SEL via observation of their behaviors, interactions, and responses; they grade this development about half of the time. Teachers believe their personal SEL proficiencies directly affect their abilities to teach them. Finally, teachers prefer hands-on situations for learning how to embed SEL, and perceive that time to revisit and reflect in smaller, collaborative settings to be an effective process for learning to implement SEL, including the use of specialists.

The present study investigated the processes and factors which led to increased student achievement at a rural, high poverty, elementary school in 2014-2019. Student academic achievement was measured through the pass rates of students in third, fourth, and fifth grades on the Virginia SOL assessments in English and mathematics. In English, student pass rates increased by 22 percentage points from 2015-2019, and in mathematics, they increased 16 points for the same time period. Due to this growth, the school was recognized as one of the National Distinguished Title I Schools in 2019. Utilizing a case study methodology, interviews were conducted with building level and division level school personnel for a total of 11 participants. Other data were also analyzed such as school improvement plans, student progress monitoring data, and personnel changes at the school. Participants indicated high quality leadership, the creation and cultivation of positive relationships among faculty, staff, and students, and the implementation of the Responsive Classroom program as factors contributing to increased student academic achievement. Furthermore, 50% teacher turnover and subsequent hiring of new teachers or the transferring in of teachers new to the school was identified as a change within the school during the five years being studied. / Doctor of Education / Students in third, fourth, and fifth grades in Virginia public schools take assessments in English, mathematics, science and history, depending on grade level, at the end of each school year to determine their academic success based on common grade level standards. This study focused on a school that improved student pass rates on the English assessment by 22 percentage points and 16 percentage points on the mathematics assessment from 2014-2019. This study examined the processes and factors that went into the increased student achievement through interviews of 11 school level and division level personnel. These interviews provided administrator, teacher, and school staff perceptions of why student achievement increased, and led to the examination of other data such as school improvement plans from 2014-2016, student progress monitoring data, and school staffing changes from 2014-2019. The study found the analysis of student progress monitoring data and subsequent meetings between the teachers and literacy coaches to address student academic needs as having an impact on student achievement. Additionally, the creation and cultivation of positive relationships between faculty, staff, and students, purposeful and high-quality leadership, and the implementation of the Responsive Classroom program were identified as factors increasing student achievement. The school also experienced 50% teacher turnover from 2014-2019. In 2014, the school had 14 teachers and by the end of the study in 2019, seven of those teachers had left for various reason, allowing the building principal to hire or transfer teachers in from other schools who better fit the needs of the school and its students.

Dropping out of high school is a nationally recognized problem which has significant implications for both the individual and society as a whole. Increasing the high school graduation rate will reduce the risk for multiple problem behaviors and poor mental and physical health among at-risk adolescents. GED preparation programs are continually regarded as a second chance mechanism for high school dropouts. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has a foundational basis in the rigorous research that has been conducted, which clearly indicates that our emotions and relationships affect how and what we learn. SEL attempts to enhance the development of what are perceived to be fundamental social and emotional skills and competencies. This study explores the incorporation of SEL in a GED preparation program for adolescent high school dropouts between the ages of 16 and 18. Due to the exploratory nature of this study, the Delphi Method was used to gather consensus through a panel of experts. / Master of Science

This research project qualitatively explores how teachers address social-emotional learning and how educators understand and implement SEL and art therapy in early education. This research aimed to explore how art therapy theories can support teachers in their efforts to create socially and emotionally competent early education classrooms. Data collected included anonymous surveys from current kindergarten through third-grade teachers. Through data analysis, several findings suggest that art therapists, mental health practitioners, and teachers can benefit from collaboration in increasing access and training with SEL practices. These findings open new doors for further inquiry into art therapy and SEL.

This dissertation presents a phenomenological qualitative study that examines the lived experiences of six Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Directors representing county, urban, and suburban school districts. The study aims to explore the perspectives, challenges, and strategies of SEL Directors in implementing SEL programs district-wide. The study gathered rich data from the six SEL Directors through in-depth qualitative interviews, enabling a comprehensive examination of their experiences. The findings of this research contribute to the generalizability of the study for the field of SEL. They underscore the complex nature of the SEL Director role, revealing commonalities and unique challenges across different school districts. Participants demonstrated unwavering dedication and passion for fostering social and emotional skill development among students and staff. However, they also faced common obstacles, such as limited resources, SEL and Academic integration, resistance to change, and the need to balance competing priorities. Additionally, the study uncovers the significant role of SEL Directors in planning for district-wide coherence and alignment of SEL implementation. By amplifying the voices of SEL Directors, this research provides valuable insights and contributes to the ongoing discourse on SEL implementation. It seeks to support the continuous improvement of SEL programs and enhance adults' and students' social and emotional skills across diverse educational settings.

Dual language learners (DLLs) represent a rapidly growing population of students in United States preschools. DLLs increasingly experience social emotional learning (SEL) programs in their early learning environments, which are now widely implemented in Head Start and other publicly funded preschools. However, limited research has explored the extent to which SEL programs support DLL development. Investigating the impact of SEL programs on DLL skills is critical to both enhance the literature on SEL programs and to identify the types of preschool curricula that benefit DLLs. In the present study, I took an ecological systems and sociocultural approach to evaluating the extent to which SEL programs support DLL language and social outcomes and whether these outcomes depend on classroom contextual factors. Using an existing data set that included a large number of DLLs enrolled in Head Start, I fit a series of multilevel models to evaluate whether participating in an SEL program predicted growth in DLLs’ social skills and vocabulary over time compared to participating in a control group. I conducted a multilevel moderation analysis to examine the extent to which DLL outcomes depended on the overall quality of teacher-child interactions in a classroom and having a teacher who could speak DLLs’ home language (i.e., Spanish). Results indicated that DLLs who participated in an SEL program showed greater growth in social skills over time than DLLs in the control group. There was not evidence to suggest that the social skills outcomes depended on classroom-level teacher-child interactions, nor on having a Spanish-speaking teacher. Findings also revealed no significant difference in vocabulary growth over time among DLLs in the SEL program group versus DLLs in the control group. However, results indicated that DLL vocabulary outcomes depended on classroom-level teacher-child interaction quality. There was not evidence to suggest that vocabulary outcomes depended on having a Spanish-speaking teacher. These findings provide support for preschool SEL programs as a tool to enhance DLL social skills. They suggest the need for SEL programs to embed opportunities for quality teacher-child language interactions in curricula to enhance DLL vocabulary skills. Future research should continue to explore the contextual factors that impact DLL outcomes in SEL programs, as well as explore the relative effectiveness of various SEL programs. / School Psychology

This study explored the perspectives and lived experiences of urban youth in relation to Restorative Practices at a free public charter school in Los Angeles, California. This qualitative study used a series of semi-structured interviews with four high school students. This adaptable design allowed for the nature of questions to evolve and shift in accordance with emergent themes and patterns. After a detailed inductive analysis of the data, major themes emerged related to students’ aversion to punitive discipline, their preference for conversation-based Restorative Practices, and their desire to have more agency as school community members. Moreover, participants reported that they only felt trusting of a small handful of staff members, preventing consistent conflict-resolution practices and positive relationship building. This study’s findings indicate a need for changes to be made at the school, district, state, and federal level to halt the use of traditionally racist and punitive discipline practices and replace them with Restorative Practices and social-emotional education and support. Additionally, student voice needs to be included and acknowledged as an integral piece of meaningful decision-making in school settings.

This case study investigated one urban school district’s efforts to address the mental health of its students during COVID-19. Specifically, I examined the protocols established by the district and the daily implementation of social-emotional learning and culturally relevant practices during the 2020–21 school year, focusing on the instructors’ perspective. Utilizing a semi-structured qualitative interview approach, I collected data from five teachers and one district personnel and corroborated it with district survey results and the Learning Continuity Plan. Findings indicate that despite teachers not explicitly understanding social-emotional learning (SEL) before COVID-19, they relied on a strong network of support and personal expertise to address the social-emotional needs of their students. Students engaged in activities such as art therapy, journaling, yoga, and community circles. Teachers incorporated culturally relevant lessons into online instructional sessions. The district established protocols to address the mental health of their students; however, teachers perceived them to have little effect on students’ mental health. The protocols specified in the Learning Continuity Plan may not have been fully effective, or the student’s social-emotional needs might have exceeded the support offered by the district, as further evidenced by the fact that teachers were compelled to advance much further than what was stipulated by the district. These findings indicate the need to be more proactive versus reactive. From teacher credentialing programs to new teacher onboarding at Title I schools, educators need more training and long-term coaching provided by experienced professionals to effectively support students’ mental health needs, particularly within marginalized communities.

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