SEL in Illinois » CASEL Work

Assisting with and building on essential state policy foundations, CASEL is working to establish Illinois as a state model for fostering the implementation of widespread, evidence-based, integrated SEL programming. In this optimal policy environment CASEL works to assist districts and schools to “put the pieces together.” We do this through a variety of collaborations with state agencies, districts and schools. We are also working to expand evidence-based practice in IL, and to communicate and promote SEL to broad educational constituencies including the PTA, teachers unions, and policy makers, through the efforts of our Illinois Advisory Council.

Current efforts in IL include:

• Working with state agencies and organizations to support implementation of the IL standards
• Assisting with the development of a Student Connection survey for the Chicago Public Schools
• Establishing models of SEL practice through our intensive collaborations with select schools and districts in IL
• Designing and delivering SEL professional development experiences

IL Learning Standards & Policies

CASEL helped draft the Children's Mental Health Act, passed by the state in 2003, and designed to provide comprehensive, coordinated mental health prevention, early intervention, and treatment services for children from birth through age 18. Section 15 of the Act required The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to develop and implement a plan to incorporate social and emotional development standards as part of the Illinois learning standards (i.e., they would join standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and Health, Fine Arts, Foreign Languages) for the purpose of enhancing children's school readiness and ability to achieve academic success. With CASEL's technical assistance and the input of many educators from across the state, standards on student social and emotional development were developed and accepted in December 2004. CASEL subsequently assisted in the development of the SEL performance descriptors, and continues to be active in the state's revisions of the original standards. We have also prepared resources for ISBE to support implementation of the standards, as well as reports on IL SEL practices. Extensive information on these standards, and all CASEL resources can be found in the Standards and Policies section of our web site.

Chicago Public Schools "Score Card" and "Student Connection Report"

CASEL assisted CPS with the development of the Student Connection Survey. Data from this survey comprises one portion of the CPS High School Scorecard, and shares information with schools and the public about student perceptions of safety, educational expectations, school support, social and emotional skills, and extracurricular participation. Sample Student Connection Report (pdf).

• Sample Student Connection Report (pdf)

Collaborating Sites

With funding from the Office of the Illinois Governor as part of the state's Safe and Drug-Free Schools grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the Illinois Collaborating Sites Project combines direct field work and consultation with action research in nine schools. Through this project CASEL has worked with the nine collaborating school sites over a five-year period to establish school-wide, evidence-based, SEL programming and document its impacts on students' healthy development and achievement.

The participating schools represent the diversity of Illinois and are located in rural, urban, and suburban areas. Among the nine schools are an inner-city African-American school, an inner-city Hispanic school, suburban schools with varying degrees of racial and economic diversity, and two downstate rural schools. A major goal of this project is to help develop a wide range of model sites of schoolwide SEL practice in IL from whose experiences other interested schools can learn.

These schools span a broad range of experience in SEL programming. Some sites have just completed the process of articulating a vision of SEL at their school, determining the needs of their students, and selecting an evidence-based SEL program. Others have been implementing a comprehensive SEL program for years and are now focused on ensuring the continued implementation of programming in a high quality manner through assessment of practices and student SEL competencies.

The project's partner schools are committed to developing school-wide SEL. In turn, and as part of CASEL's action research focus, CASEL provides support through direct consultation, professional development activities, and data collection and analysis. Out of this work CASEL is also developing tools and resources that will support the work of other schools throughout Illinois and beyond, so that all students can benefit from the latest SEL knowledge to build student engagement and eliminate barriers to learning. It is the goal of this project to disseminate the knowledge and lessons learned to other schools and districts, to support and encourage their efforts, and facilitate their implementation of practices that are reflective of the needs of their own school communities. CASEL's collaborative efforts with these school sites will provide models of effective SEL implementation for schools throughout Illinois and the nation.

You can find information on these sites in the Collaborating Sites section of our web site.

Professional Development

Administrator Academies: CASEL developed and received State Board of Education approval for a 6-hr Administrator Academy on SEL. It includes background information on SEL theory and research, the academic benefits of SEL, the IL standards, and how to get started with SEL programming. CASEL is currently working with ISBE and the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership to develop additional professional development experiences for IL schools focused on the IL standards.

Peer Development of Emotional Intelligence (PDEI) Project. With funding from private donor Jim Liautaud, CASEL is conducing action research on two principal peer development cohorts, one consisting of eight elementary school principals from the Chicago Public Schools, the other with principals from eight CPS “small schools initiative” high schools. The groups meet monthly for a highly structured three-hour meeting in which participants develop their own social emotional skills in a safe (confidential, supportive) problem-solving context. The meeting is followed by a social dinner. Cohort members also attend a two-day retreat and agree to meet for a two-year period.

Sustainable SEL Implementation Training for School SEL Leadership Teams. Although not designed specifically for Illinois schools, CASEL’s SEL Implementation Training has served over 100 schools and 500 participants, the majority from Illinois. It is our priority to serve Illinois educators first. See the Training and Support section of this site for more information.