Back to Other

Impact of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Program: 2021-2022 School Year Analysis

Principal Investigator

Katie James and Neha Pandit – PowerMyLearning

Project Description

This is a pre-post study of PowerMyLearning’s Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program—Nurture Student Growth Through Social Emotional Learning—which serves teachers, students, and families with children in first through sixth grade with the goals of addressing challenging behaviors and supporting family wellbeing. Over the course of a school year, the program provides four workshops for teachers and school staff, nine 45-minute small-group coaching sessions for teachers, and four 60-minute family workshops on various interrelated topics. The study sample is comprised of 18 teachers in San Jose, California who completed surveys before and after one school year of program participation. This report describes changes in teachers’ self-reported SEL competencies from the beginning to the end of SY 2021-22.

Research Questions

  • What is the relationship between the SEL program called “Nurture Student Growth Through Social Emotional Learning (SEL)” and SEL competencies?

Key Findings

The results of this study indicate that PowerMyLearning’s SEL program was related to significantly better student SEL skills, teacher confidence in supporting SEL, teacher family relationships, and school climate. The program was also associated with significant differences in math and reading achievement. Students had significantly better self-efficacy (+12%; p<.10) and self-management (+7%; p=.08) after the program. In addition, teachers were significantly more confident in supporting students’ SEL, including self-efficacy (+11%; p<.10), sense of belonging (+10%; p<.10), and sense of safety (+11%; p=.08) after the program. The study also showed significant improvements in teacher family relationships (+13%; p<.01) and school climate (+7%; p=.03).

Study Citation

James, Katie & Neha Pandit. (2022). Impact of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Program: 2021-2022 School Year Analysis. PowerMyLearning.

The Key Findings above were reproduced from the published report and do not necessarily reflect interpretation of Overdeck Family Foundation staff.

Publication
Year

2022

Status

Completed

Study Type

Pre-Post

Grantee

PowerMyLearning

Read Full Report
Back to Other

More from Other

Completed

Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The Determinants and Causal Effects of Admission to Highly Selective Private Colleges

This is a QED study that leverages multiple sources of data to understand inequities in admission to highly selective colleges and universities by family income.

Completed

Standardized Test Scores and Academic Performance at Ivy-Plus Colleges

This is a descriptive study analyzing admissions and transcript records for students at multiple Ivy-Plus colleges to study the relationship between standardized (SAT/ACT) test scores, high school GPA, and first-year college grades.

Completed

Nebraska Spotlight: Key Findings That Highlight Connections Among Early Childhood Development, Families and Communities

This is a survey of a representative sample of 2,500 Nebraska families with young children ages birth to five years. The report focuses on children’s development and family characteristics to examine strengths and disparities by various subgroups of families (e.g., urban versus rural). Illustrative topics include families’ economic and food security, neighborhood characteristics, parenting demands, home learning environments, and parental mental health. The survey took place online between July 2022 to January 2023.

Completed

Evaluating the Impact of Innovative Schools

This is a landscape scan conducted by The Canopy Project, which used qualitative data and review of internal and external quantitative data on school performance to achieve three aims.

Completed

Social Capital I: Measurement and Associations with Economic Mobility

This is a correlational study that examines the relations between the degree of interconnectedness of friend groups, measures of civic engagement (e.g., volunteering), and socioeconomic status (SES, as defined by a machine learning algorithm-generated index comprised of, for example, average income in an individual’s neighborhood and level of educational attainment).

Completed

COVID-19 Relief Bolstered U.S. Child Care Programs in Crisis

This study by the Bipartisan Policy Center reports on an 11-state survey of a random selection of representatives from approximately 1,100 child care centers and 1,200 family child care homes regarding respondents’ experiences with business closures, enrollment, revenue, staffing, and other factors related to the availability of U.S. Congressional relief packages during the COVID-19 pandemic: The CARES Act of March 2020, the CRRSA Act of December 2020, and the ARP Act of March 2021.

Completed

Evaluation of NBA Math Hoops: Impacts on Middle School Students’ Math Outcomes and Engagement

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluates the impact of NBA Math Hoops, a basketball-themed board game, on middle school students’ math achievement, engagement, and attitudes toward math.

Completed

Connection, Trust, and Learning: Student Attendance in the Middle and High School Grades Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study examines how student absenteeism changed in Chicago Public Schools following the COVID-19 pandemic and explores how attendance relates to academic outcomes and school climate.

Completed

Evaluating Opportunity Culture: Improving Student Achievement Through Strategic Staffing in West Texas

This four-year mixed-methods evaluation examines the effects of Opportunity Culture in Ector County ISD on student math and reading achievement.

Completed

Sustained Public Engagement in Science and Engineering via Digital Spaces and Communities

This white paper explores the role of digital platforms in informal science education and discusses strategies for effective science communication and audience engagement.

Completed

Supporting Science and Engineering Learning Through an Ecosystem Approach

This white paper explores the importance of an ecosystem approach to STEM education, describing a framework that emphasizes the interconnectedness of various educational settings and the importance of lifelong learning.

Completed

Dual-MEG Interbrain Synchronization During Turn-Taking Verbal Interactions Between Mothers and Children

This is a correlational study of brain activity of 23 mother-child pairs as measured by dual MEG (magnetoencephalography) machines during various verbal interactions.

Back to Other
Young boy sits in desk at school

Courtesy of TalkingPoints

Follow us

Sign up for our newsletter.

Subscribe to Overdeck Family Foundation’s newsletter to stay up-to-date on our latest news and resources.