About CASEL » Overview

CASEL is a collaborative that works to advance the science and evidence-based practice of social and emotional learning (SEL). We write books, articles, and briefs that synthesize scientific advances in SEL and explain their implications for practice. Our priorities focus on the benefits of preschool through high school SEL programming; how SEL coordinates with other educational movements; research and training in implementation; assessment; school and district leadership development; educational policies; and communications.

• Our History
• Our Approach
• Current Priorities
• University Affiliation

CASEL was founded in 1994 by Daniel Goleman, the author of Emotional Intelligence, and educator/philanthropist Eileen Rockefeller Growald. CASEL's first years focused on gathering scientific evidence to demonstrate the contributions of social and emotional learning to students' school success, health, well-being, peer and family relationships, and citizenship. While still conducting scientific research and reviewing the best available science evidence, over time CASEL has increasingly worked to provide SEL practitioners and school administrators with the guidelines, tools, informational resources, policies, training, and supports they need to improve and expand their SEL programming.

See our annual report, CASEL: The First Ten Years: 1994-2004 for a more detailed description of our work over the past decade.

Our Approach

The CASEL approach starts and ends with research to provide the scientific foundation for SEL and evidence of its impacts. Known for its outstanding scholarship, CASEL publishes major reviews of what works in SEL. In addition, CASEL works closely with educational leaders in the field to bridge science and practice, putting research and theory to the test in real-world settings.

After these methods and innovations have been fully tested and validated, CASEL acts as a leading communicator and disseminator of proven new approaches. Through books, articles, professional development workshops, trainings, and electronic media, CASEL reaches out to an international audience of educational leaders and decision makers.

CASEL is unique in education today. It is the only organization devoted to educational improvement and children’s healthy development that effectively bridges research and practice; addresses the essential pairing of the cognitive and affective components of learning; and uses scientifically rigorous work to affect public policy. CASEL does not market individual programs; we do encourage the use of programs that meet CASEL criteria for excellence (these “CASEL SELect” programs address the five major social and emotional competencies in an exemplary manner, have demonstrated evidence of effectiveness, and provide ongoing professional development; see further descriptions in Safe and Sound).

Current Priorities

Our current work and priorities are to:

• Conduct cutting-edge research on SEL impacts to advance the field of SEL
• Improve SEL programming implementation by conducting action research in schools and creating and disseminating products, tools, and training to help schools adopt and sustain high-quality and proven SEL practices
• Improve educational leadership by enhancing educational leaders’ knowledge of SEL and their own social and emotional capacities through professional development experiences.
• Create SEL assessment tools to guide practice, measure impacts, inform instruction, and ensure accountability.
• Assist with the development and implementation of SEL standards and policies

See our 2007-2011 Strategic Plan for more details on the scope of our current efforts.

University Affiliation

CASEL is proud to be based in the Department of Psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). This highly-rated department is strongly committed to interdisciplinary scholarship and research, and provides facilities and support to CASEL. UIC embraces its mission of teaching, research, service, and economic development through hundreds of academic programs, community service initiatives, and research endeavors. As the Chicago area's largest university, UIC has a responsibility and unique opportunity to contribute to the well-being of urban life. As a research-based unit at UIC, CASEL shares this strong responsibility and mission of civic engagement by creating, disseminating, and applying interdisciplinary knowledge in social and emotional development to improve the quality of life in Chicago and throughout the state. In keeping with the spirit of a land grant university, CASEL seeks to create change in schools throughout Illinois, as well as the nation and the world.