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Social and Emotional Learning

Social and emotional learning—the ability to successfully communicate, resolve conflict, interact with others, and manage emotional responses—can help students do better in the classroom and in life. Fostering social and emotional well-being is a key component in improving conditions for learning. Our work in this area focus on promotion, prevention, early intervention, and treatment.

AIR conducts research and evaluation activities and provides technical assistance, consultation, and communication activities regarding the mental health of children and youth, and the social and emotional conditions for learning.

  • Learn about SEL Solutions, our services in Social and Emotional Learning >>
Related Topics

Good Behavior Game
School Climate
School Crime and Safety
School Discipline

Latest Work

15 Jan 2021
Spotlight

Spotlight on the Science of Learning and Development

The science of learning and development (SoLD) is a cross-disciplinary body of knowledge that describes how people learn and develop. AIR is part of the SoLD Alliance, which serves as a resource to connect and support leaders in research, practice, and policy to transform America’s education systems and achieve equity and excellence.
Project

Ready to Implement: A Toolkit for Out-of-School Practitioners

The field of out-of-school time (OST) is often the champion for new initiatives—from social and emotional learning to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), to college and career readiness and beyond—given the creativity and flexibility that is inherent to OST programming. AIR is developing a tool that enables OST practitioners to (1) measure their readiness to implement new initiatives and (2) access resources and professional learning that are aligned with their level of readiness.
15 Dec 2020
Service

Youth Development Measurement Lab at AIR

AIR understands the critical importance of providing every child with a safe and supportive environment to learn and to thrive. Our approach to supporting schools, districts, states, federal agencies, youth-serving organizations, and foundations in their efforts to support youth focuses on AIR’s mission to use the best research and technical assistance to improve people's lives.
Image of child giving teacher on screen a thumbs up
8 Dec 2020
In the Field

How Positive Reinforcement Can Keep Students Engaged in a Virtual Setting

Educators have faced numerous obstacles to meaningfully engaging students during the global coronavirus pandemic. Initially, these were practical, including providing students with access to technology and safe spaces to learn. AIR Senior Researcher Megan Sambolt explains how research suggests multiple types of positive reinforcers can contribute to improved student behavior and increased engagement.
Illustration of woman with cell phone
1 Dec 2020
Spotlight

AIR’s COVID-19 Response and Resources

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. This virus, also known as COVID-19, has dramatically changed the lives of people around the globe, touching all aspects of life, from health care to education to the economy. In this new world of rapidly changing information about the virus, AIR seeks to be a source of evidence-based information that examines and begins to understand the various complexities of this crisis.
1 Nov 2020
Spotlight

Spotlight on Personalized Learning

AIR believes that personalized learning efforts must have critical foundational elements, build in the relevant essential hallmarks, and opportunities to amplify learning with technology. Our approach to personalized learning draws upon our rigorous research base and strong field experience in facilitating educational system change efforts across the nation and globe.
Image of young girl getting onto a school bus
9 Oct 2020
Spotlight

Mental Health Awareness

Raising awareness and increasing the understanding of mental health can change the way society views and responds to this complex issue. AIR promotes positive mental health through school and community-based approaches involving youth, families, school, health care providers, and other stakeholders.
1 Oct 2020
Blog Post

Bread and Roses Too

COVID-19 has amplified inequities and mental health needs, with disproportionate effects on marginalized people and communities. All humans deserve to thrive—socially, emotionally, cognitively, physically, economically, and spiritually. In this blog post, David Osher and Jill Young propose a more robust conceptualization of equity—one that incorporates thriving and addresses human learning and development across all life spaces and over the life course.
Image of high school student wearing a mask
24 Aug 2020
In the Field

Resources to Go Beyond the Basics and Support the Whole Child

Despite uncertainty about the start of the 2020-2021 school year, one thing is clear: Learning will take multiple forms and things will likely change as the school year progresses. AIR researchers created this resource for families and caregivers to help foster positive conditions for learning at home.
24 Aug 2020
Brief

COVID-19 and Whole Child Efforts: Reopening Update

Several national organizations have offered frameworks and resources for planning for the reopening school buildings closed due to COVID-19. Policymakers and practitioners will need a shared understanding of the common whole child terms and phrases as they plan and work to mobilize student supports. This resource provides definitions for key terms along with an analysis of the inclusion of these terms in the various reopening guidance documents.
15 Aug 2020
Spotlight

Spotlight on School Climate

Accurately measuring school climate helps schools identify areas of improvement and choose evidence-based interventions for effecting positive change. Read what our researchers are finding out about how learning environments affect whether students feel—and are—safe, connected, supported, and challenged.
23 Jul 2020
Podcast

AIR Informs: Responding to the Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic

AIR takes an evidence-based approach to its research, evaluation, training, and technical assistance work on a daily basis. For our latest podcast series, AIR Informs, AIR experts explore the different ways the coronavirus pandemic is affecting our lives and how we can address the challenges it presents.
30 Jun 2020
Brief

Equitable Opportunities for Deeper Learning: Exploring Differences Between Traditional and Network Schools

Deeper learning network schools have an explicit mission to provide deeper learning opportunities to all students. This brief uses data from the Study of Deeper Learning to examine whether students attending deeper learning network schools do indeed report more equitable learning opportunities than students in comparison schools.
30 Jun 2020
Brief

Equitable Access to the Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Benefits of Deeper Learning

Recently, researchers at AIR found that students who attended schools that focused on deeper learning reported higher levels of collaboration skills, academic engagement, motivation to learn, and self-efficacy than similar students who attended comparison schools. In this brief, they used data from the Study of Deeper Learning: Opportunities and Outcomes to explore whether students’ opportunities for deeper learning are similarly beneficial for different types of students.
Image of girls wearing Girls' Inc. t-shirts
8 Jun 2020
Q & A

Lessons from AIR’s Girls Inc. Study: What Helps Girls Thrive

Girls Inc. offers programming to girls ages 6 to 18 to help them develop skills and find the support they'll need to prepare for work and leadership roles in adulthood. In this Q&A, research project leaders Allison Dymnicki and Melissa Yisak answer a few questions about what research shows about out-of-school time programming and girls, as well as the findings from their evaluation of Girls Inc.
Illustration of AIR Expert Ann-Marie Faria
26 May 2020
Q & A

Meet the Expert: Ann-Marie Faria

AIR early childhood development and education expert, Ann-Marie Faria, Ph.D., focuses on quantitative research in early childhood settings, drawing on her experience as a former kindergarten and elementary school teacher. In this Q&A, she discusses her research at AIR, focused on documenting and improving quality in the early childhood mixed delivery system.
Image of interlocking colorful blocks
22 May 2020
Brief

Recognizing the Role of Afterschool and Summer Programs and Systems in Reopening and Rebuilding

The need for safety, support, and trusting, reciprocal relationships is especially important as we work to rebuild and return stronger than before COVID-19. This resource describes the role that afterschool and summer programs and systems can play and offers strategies for afterschool and summer programs and school leaders to work together in support of youth, families, and the community.
6 May 2020 | 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Event

Implementing Competency-Based Education Strategies: From Research to Practice

This REL Midwest webinar showcases how competency-based education (CBE) strategies can positively impact student learning outcomes and how to create structures within a school or classroom to effectively implement CBE strategies.

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Image of young boy and girl looking at a tablet together
Project

National Survey of Public Education’s Response to COVID-19

To improve services to students and families, we need information on what districts and charter management organizations are doing and plan to do to address COVID-19. From mid-May through July 2020, we are asking school district and charter management organization leaders to respond to a nationally representative survey of school districts and charter management organizations—more than 2,500 in total—about the actions they have taken and the challenges they have encountered during the COVID-19-related school closures.
Image of mother with young girl reading on bed together
7 Apr 2020
Spotlight

Building Positive Conditions for Learning at Home: Strategies and Resources for Families and Caregivers

As we all adjust to the current situation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that we create a safe, supportive, and engaging spaces for learning at home. In the coming weeks, we will continue to add new information, strategies, things to look for, and resources that have more information.
2 Apr 2020
Podcast

AIR Informs Episode #3: Creating a Safe, Supportive Learning Environment at Home

In this episode of AIR Informs, David Osher, an AIR vice president and Institute Fellow, explains the science of learning and development, as well as how parents can create a safe, supportive learning environment at home while their children are away from school during the coronavirus pandemic.
24 Mar 2020
Toolkit

SEL Online Learning Module: Creating a Well-Rounded Educational Experience

This free online course from AIR was designed as an introduction to social and emotional learning (SEL) for educators who endeavor to create a well-rounded educational experience. This introductory course is designed for all educators to ensure that the whole school community is engaged in the adoption and implementation of sustainable SEL practices.
Project

The Readiness Projects: Leveraging Science to Support the Readiness of Youth, Adults, Systems, and Communities

Emerging findings from neuroscience, psychology, sociology illuminate the optimal human development periods—early childhood and adolescence—when we must act with intention and care. The Readiness Projects will bolster projects that support the readiness of youth, adults, systems, and community leaders by finding ways to test the utility of the learning sciences findings, to inform efforts to improve quality, to increase engagement, and to advance equity.
14 Nov 2019
Report

Making SEL Assessment Work: Ten Practitioner Beliefs

In the social and emotional learning field, multiple assessment issues—from the complexity, validity, and reliability of measures, to the use and interpretation of results—baffle even the most experienced researchers. AIR and CASEL convened 28 practice leaders from across the country to understand how they are implementing, assessing, and refining their SEL practices.
Image of young teacher with students using magnifying glasses outside
14 Oct 2019
Brief

The Science of Learning and Development in Afterschool Systems and Settings

The SoLD Alliance is a collaborative effort to combine findings from diverse areas of research, from neuroscience to human development, into an integrated science of learning and development. It includes experts from AIR, EducationCounsel, the Forum for Youth Investment, Learning Policy Institute, Populace, and Turnaround for Children.
1 Oct 2019
Toolkit

Are You Ready to Assess Social and Emotional Learning and Development? (Second Edition)

How can you assess conditions for learning and development, as well as social and emotional competencies? The Stop, Think, Act: Ready to Assess toolkit, available at no cost, helps educators, practitioners, and policymakers decide if and when they are ready to take those steps.
10 Sep 2019
Brief

Using Chronic Absence Data to Improve Conditions for Learning

Reducing chronic absence goes hand in hand with cultivating positive conditions for learning. This brief discusses how education leaders, community partners and policymakers can use chronic absence data to address inequities and improve student outcomes.
Image of man and school-aged boy on a bench
6 Sep 2019
In the Field

Chronic Absence: Busting Myths and Helping Educators Develop More Effective Responses

The simple act of not attending school consistently increases the likelihood that children will be unable to read well by grade 3, fail classes in middle school, and drop out of high school. Standing in the way of truly addressing chronic absence are three harmful myths.
14 Aug 2019
Spotlight

Back to School: Preparing Students and Schools for Success

As students across the country return to school, those responsible for their care and education are finalizing their plans to ensure a productive year. AIR’s evidence-based resources for back to school support educators through three essential lenses: school climate, safety, and social and emotional learning (SEL); college and career readiness; and school improvement.
25 Jul 2019
Report

Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools: Findings from the School Survey on Crime and Safety

These reports present key findings on crime and violence in U.S. public schools, using data from the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS). SSOCS provides information about school crime-related topics from the school’s perspective, asking public school principals to report the frequency of violent incidents, such as physical attacks, robberies, and thefts in their schools.
Students working together
17 Jul 2019
Spotlight

Spotlight on Deeper Learning

What do today’s students really need to learn in order to succeed, not only in the classroom but also later on in college, careers, and as engaged citizens? What role can deeper learning—“a set of competencies students must master in order to develop a keen understanding of academic content and apply their knowledge to problems in the classroom and on the job”—play?
Project

Social and Emotional Learning at Pasco County Schools

In the aftermath of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, education leaders in Pasco County renewed their commitment to improve school safety and student mental health—which, according to research, can also improve academic learning. With guidance from AIR experts, a core team of district and school stakeholders examined research and existing efforts that provide students with the skills to engage in positive social interactions, master academic content, and become successful students.
11 Jun 2019
Report

Student and School Characteristics Associated with Academic Outcomes for English Learner Students in Grades 3 Through 8 in Cleveland Metropolitan School District

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District has witnessed increases in the number of English learner students in grades K–12 over recent years. This study investigated the relationships of student and school characteristics with English learner student performance on statewide mathematics and English language arts assessments, and on English language proficiency levels.
22 May 2019 | 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Event

How Federal Policy Can Empower States and Communities to Provide Whole Child Education For All Students

Decades of research show that whole child approaches to learning, which emphasize a positive school climate; an integrated approach to social, emotional, and academic learning; and wraparound services are essential to students' academic and life success and can reduce the negative effects of poverty on achievement. Speakers at this briefing will examine federal policy levers state and local policymakers can use to invest in research-based whole child approaches to learning.
Illustration of David Osher and areas of expertise
20 May 2019
Q & A

Meet the Expert: David Osher

David Osher is a leading expert in violence prevention, conditions for learning, school safety, and social and emotional learning. The principal investigator on three national centers, he has written and edited various books and articles, including Creating Safe, Equitable, Engaging Schools: A Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Approach to Supporting Students, with fellow AIR experts Deborah Moroney and Sandra Williamson.
Infographic: Student Bullying and Perceptions of Power Imbalance
17 Apr 2019
Infographic

Student Bullying and Perceptions of Power Imbalance

AIR assisted NCES in producing Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2018, including developing a spotlight, Perceptions of Bullying Among Students Who Reported Being Bullied: Repetition and Power Imbalance.
5 Apr 2019
ESSA

ESSA Action Guides

Signed into law in 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a commitment by Congress and the U.S. Department of Education to equal educational opportunity for all American students. As states continue to implement ESSA programs, AIR is providing a series of action guides to support and inform education leaders.
Project

Nevada School Climate / Social Emotional Learning Survey

The Nevada School Climate/Social Emotional Learning Survey (NV-SCSEL) is administered to students across the state of Nevada each spring. The NV-SCSEL is used by schools to measure and understand their students’ perceptions of key school climate topic areas, including physical and emotional safety, relationships, and cultural and linguistic competence, as well as students’ perceptions of their social and emotional competencies.
12 Feb 2019
ESSA

Navigating ESSA with the AIR Co-Pilot: 13 Key Resources

State and school district leaders, whether relative newcomers to ESSA or entrenched in implementation, will find detailed information on states’ plans, policy, and research on educational practices in AIR’s ESSA Co-Pilot. The following 13 resources were chosen by AIR experts as the best entry point into this broad and deep topic.
3 Jan 2019
Q & A

Meet the Expert: Deborah Moroney

Dr. Deborah Moroney specializes in bridging research and practice, having worked as a staff member for out-of-school programs early in her career. She’s written practitioner and organizational guides; co-authored the fourth edition of “Beyond the Bell®, A Toolkit for Creating High-Quality Afterschool and Expanded Learning Programs,” a seminal afterschool resource; and co-edited Creating Safe, Equitable, Engaging Schools: A Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Approach to Supporting Students.
Image of Cleveland district CEO Eric Gordon with students
12 Dec 2018
In the Field

Advancing School Safety, Climate, and Culture in Cleveland

Research tells us that cultivating a culture where students feel safe, engaged, and ready to learn is an important factor in their success both inside and outside the classroom. Learn how the Cleveland Metropolitan School District has made notable progress in building this capacity, spurred in part by a tragedy that has become all too common.
26 Nov 2018
Spotlight

Creating Safe, Equitable, Engaging Schools: A Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Approach to Supporting Students

Safe and supportive school communities foster students’ social, emotional, and academic needs. Educators want actionable strategies and practices to ensure that all students can access equitable learning environments. Creating Safe, Equitable, Engaging Schools helps school leaders make sense of the various evidence-based resources and frameworks designed to support the whole child.
Image of Jameela Conway-Turner
9 Nov 2018
Video

Long Story Short: Why Is Social and Emotional Learning Important for Equity in Education?

In this video, AIR researcher Jameela Conway-Turner discusses how social and emotional learning can improve student outcomes and how districts and schools can use it in their equity initiatives to support all students.
10 Oct 2018
Report

Maximizing Student Agency: Implementing and Measuring Student-Centered Learning Practices

Student agency, or the ability to manage one’s learning, can have significant effects on academic achievement as students take an active role in seeking and internalizing new knowledge. To learn more about the practices that support student agency, AIR studied four New Tech Network high schools in three states to determine which teacher practices help or hinder the development of student agency, and whether these practices are effective across educational contexts and with different student subgroups.
10 Oct 2018
Report

Learning with Others: A Study Exploring the Relationship Between Collaboration, Personalization, and Equity - Final Report

Emerging trends suggest that personalization is often equated with individual learning. To truly personalize, we must recognize that students vary in their needs for social support and exchange. This report describes the findings from a study designed to examine how collaboration is linked to personalization and explore racial/ethnic differences in experiences and benefits associated with collaboration.
Young children arm in arm
5 Sep 2018
Spotlight

Building Safe, Engaging, and Equitable Schools

There are no quick fixes or easy solutions to respond to the tragedies that have occurred in schools across the country—but there are evidence-based ways to change school environments so that students and teachers feel safer.
30 May 2018
Toolkit

Trauma-Sensitive Schools Toolkit

Commissioned by the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, AIR developed a collection of guides and online training for college campus health staff caring for students who have experienced sexual assault and other trauma.
30 Apr 2018
In the Field

Nurturing the Whole Child: Applying Social and Emotional Learning to Promote Safe and Supportive Schools in Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Education is developing several learning goals in the new Social and Emotional Learning Framework. The framework outlines five competencies for social and emotional learning: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
12 Apr 2018 | 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Event

Coaching to Support the Conditions for a Well-Rounded Education

Learning conditions that support a well-rounded education for all students are key ingredients within state’s ESSA plans. At times, creating a positive school climate and supporting student social and emotional development can be daunting challenges. In this webinar, AIR staff introduce the Leadership Competency Self-Reflection Tool and a coaching toolkit that administrators and instructional coaches can use to support teacher implementation of social and emotional learning practices.
30 Mar 2018
Report

Best Practices, Strategies, and Recommendations for Improving School Climate and Culture

As states move forward with implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the topic of school climate is becoming increasingly important. This report by the Southeast Comprehensive Center at AIR summarizes 15 resources, which describe evidence-based approaches and interventions that may help to improve school climate and culture.
Image of teacher with middle school students
2 Mar 2018
Spotlight

Social and Emotional Learning: Creating Supportive Learning Environments for All

Recent research has demonstrated that when schools and districts focus on social and emotional learning (SEL), students’ academic achievement, prosocial behaviors, and positive attitudes improve, while their behavior problems and emotional distress decrease. Explore these selected resources, tools, and reports to discover our research and technical assistance on SEL practices.
Image of teacher with happy young students
31 Jan 2018
Brief

School Climate and Social and Emotional Learning: The Integration of Two Approaches

School climate and social and emotional learning (SEL) have often been treated separately by researchers and practitioners, but both are necessary to build healthy schools. This brief reviews research on how positive school climates support SEL and how improved SEL contributes to improved school climate in elementary and secondary schools.
24 Jan 2018
Journal Article

Malleability, Plasticity, and Individuality: How Children Learn and Develop in Context

Recent decades have witnessed an explosion of knowledge about how children develop into whole individuals, how they become learners, and how contextual factors nourish or hinder their development. This article shows how a developmental system theories approach provides a framework for viewing the effects of multiple factors within micro- and macro-environments on the shaping of how children learn, change, and grow throughout their development.
24 Jan 2018
Journal Article

Drivers of Human Development: How Relationships and Context Shape Learning and Development

This article uses a relational developmental systems framework, known as Development Systems Theories to synthesize knowledge on the role of relationships and key micro and macro contexts in supporting—or undermining—the development of children and youth. By using a variety of correlational, longitudinal, and causal studies; multiple sources were triangulated to reach the conclusions drawn.
Project

Creating Aligned Research-Based Social and Emotional Learning Training Materials

Higher Achievement closes the opportunity gap during the pivotal middle school years by leveraging the power of communities through rigorous year-round learning in a safe environment with caring role models and a culture of high expectations. Higher Achievement worked with a team from AIR to develop a series of social and emotional learning SEL-focused trainings and resources for Higher Achievement staff and volunteer mentors.
18 Dec 2017
Report

Identifying, Defining, and Measuring Social and Emotional Competencies

Reviews of social and emotional competency frameworks and indicators increase understanding of what competencies are critical for healthy development and how to measure them. This report summarizes the results of AIR's comprehensive scan and analysis of social and emotional competency frameworks from over 20 areas of study.
Project

Children and Society: A Global Scan of Child Well-Being

All children deserve to live healthy lives and experience positive well-being. The aim for this work is to understand the context that includes the norms, values, and conditions that underpin child well-being in various countries, with the intention of transferring and applying that knowledge to the United States.

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Image of teacher and middle school students
Project

Digging Deeper into Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Exploring the SEL Landscape

Social and emotional skills and competencies are essential for young people to succeed in school, work, and life. In the past decade, there has been an increasing number of studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and syntheses that focus on the key role that social and emotional learning (SEL) plays in the success and well-being of children and youth. AIR, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, designed and executed two related activities to explore and describe SEL for practitioners and researchers.
Project

Understanding the Critical Role of the Adult in Supporting Playworks Implementation

A quality recess is one that is safe, engaging, and empowering. Since 2017, Playworks and a team from AIR have partnered to learn more about how effective recess teams drive strong quality and recess outcomes. Currently they are conducting a study with support from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to better understand the Playworks practices and strategies that support implementation.
Project

Developing a Theory of Change and Measurement Plan for Learning in NatureBridge Programs

At NatureBridge, educators believe that when young people discover the wonder and science of the natural world, they’re prepared for a lifetime of exploration and stewardship of the environment. As the field of social and emotional learning (SEL) has evolved, so too has our understanding of the ways in which to support and integrate social and emotional skill-development. NatureBridge partnered with a team from AIR beginning in 2017 to explore the ways in which evidence-based SEL practices align with NatureBridge’s approach to environmental education.
20 Sep 2017 | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Event

Ensuring a Safe and Inclusive School Environment for LGBTQ Students

How can we affirm and support LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning or queer) students and their families in schools? Although a lot of progress has been made in shifting public opinion in the last decade, LGBTQ students still face high incidents of bullying, harassment, and discrimination. In this webinar, hear from presenters as they share diverse perspectives and strategies on how to create safe and positive school environments to protect the civil rights and socio-emotional well-being of LGBTQ students.
Image of SEL coaching toolkit cover
30 Aug 2017
Toolkit

Social and Emotional Learning Coaching Toolkit

Teachers recognize the importance of student social and emotional skill development; however, they often feel as though they do not have the time to support social and emotional learning (SEL). The purpose of this toolkit is to support coaches and administrators as they observe practices that support the development of social and emotional skills in classrooms, and hold critical conversations that include SEL.
23 Aug 2017
Spotlight

Spotlight on School Crime and Safety

Educators, parents, and communities want their schools to be safe havens for teaching and learning, free of crime and violence. Explore these selected reports, tools and informational graphics to learn more about crime and safety incidents in schools, how they are handled, and what approaches may be having a positive effect.
Project

City Year Evaluation

City Year partners with public schools with the goal of preparing students with the skills and mindsets they need to thrive and contribute to their communities. AIR and MDRC are conducting an evaluation of City Year's Whole School Whole Child services in 22 middle schools in five large urban school districts. The academic, social, and emotional services are aimed at helping students develop the skills they need to navigate and complete high school.
28 Jun 2017
Spotlight

How Transitional Kindergarten Helps Younger Children Prepare for School

Created in 2010 by the Kindergarten Readiness Act, transitional kindergarten offers younger children in California additional time to prepare for school. Transitional kindergarten provides an additional year of early education to approximately 120,000 children each year, with the goal of promoting their school readiness. Explore resources that show what we’ve learned about transitional kindergarten so far.
31 May 2017
Brief

Competency-Based Education: Staying Shallow or Going Deep?

Competency-based education is an educational approach that focuses on mastery of an expanded set of competencies—rather than seat time—as a measure of student learning. This brief explores how states and districts can define learner competencies that reflect the full range of knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for students to achieve college and career readiness.

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Image of teacher high-fiving a student
Project

The Potential of Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) to Transform Education Systems

The Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) initiative began in 2016 with a shared commitment to a better and more equitable education for each and every child—and a hypothesis that a synthesis of the knowledge from multiple disciplines could provide critical insights and solutions to persistent and growing inequity and underperformance in the U.S. education system. An overarching goal of all SoLD partnerships, projects, and practices is to support the effective learning, educational attainment, and positive development of all children.
Greta Colombi
27 Apr 2017
Video

Long Story Short: What Can Districts and Schools Do to Improve School Climate?

School climate reflects how members of a school community experience their environment. Greta Colombi discusses how to identify and measure the many factors that affect conditions for learning and her work to improve school climate through the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments.
13 Apr 2017
Service

Content and Technical Expertise in Refugee and Migrant Initiatives

AIR offers a broad range of services in areas that support our human rights and refugee initiatives. We are committed to applying and producing the best evidence and the highest quality work. Our quality assurance process encompasses all stages of a project, from research design to evidence-based conclusions and recommendations, to implementation and scale-up.
18 Feb 2017
Report

The Intersection of School Climate and Social and Emotional Development

Two related strands of research—social and emotional learning and school climate—provide guidance on how to support students in an equitable, collaborative, and healthy environment. This paper shares propositions from a project with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation about how to create healthy, safe, nurturing, and developmentally supportive schools.
7 Feb 2017
In the Field

Reducing School Suspensions and Expulsions in Michigan

Statewide suspension rates in Michigan were high, and discipline policies in many schools were in direct conflict with its priority of reducing barriers to learning. With support from the Great Lakes Comprehensive Center, the Michigan Department of Education formed the Michigan School Discipline Task Force in 2013, to develop a model policy on reducing suspensions and expulsions using alternative discipline strategies; a revised model student code of conduct; and an online toolkit for schools and districts on how to implement the new policy and code.
3 Feb 2017
Podcast

It’s (Not) Academic! Social-Emotional Learning

The Communities for Just Schools Fund's Allison R. Brown speaks with David Osher, vice president and Institute Fellow at AIR, about social-emotional learning and its impact on students and teachers alike over the years.
19 Jan 2017
Toolkit

California School Safety Toolkit

Schools that are safe create conditions for learning and well-being. Drawing on research and best practices, the California School Safety Toolkit allows any school or district to assess its safety system. Districts and schools can use the toolkit to improve how schools use data, apply best practices in school safety, engage students, promote a healthy school environment and reduce the use of exclusionary discipline and referrals to law enforcement that disproportionately impact students of color.
2 Jan 2017
Report

I3 BARR Validation Study Impact Findings: Cohorts 1 and 2

The Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) model is a comprehensive, strength-based approach to education that aims to improve achievement for all students by improving a school’s effectiveness at building relationships, leveraging real-time student data, and capitalizing on the strengths of each student. This report provides findings from the first two years of an evaluation of the BARR program in six schools divided into two cohorts.
Project

Mapping the National AfterSchool Association Core Competencies with Social and Emotional Learning Practices

National AfterSchool Association survey findings suggest that, while organizations and programs value social and emotional learning and many professionals implement SEL practice, many do not feel knowledgeable talking about SEL. NAA and AIR developed SEL to the Core: Building from Foundational Youth Development to Support Social and Emotional Learning as a support for afterschool professionals and leaders.
Project

Stronger, Smarter, Bolder: Girls Take the Lead

Girls and young women face a variety of obstacles to physical and socioeconomic well-being, inequity in educational opportunities, and tend to be discouraged from speaking up for themselves and others. AIR evaluated Girls Inc., founded in 1864, which provides comprehensive, research-based programs and activities for girls at sites across the United States.
1 Jan 2017
Report

Science of Learning and Development: A Synthesis

Human development can be influenced by a myriad of factors that include individual, biological, contextual, cultural, and historical factors. By synthesizing research across multiple disciples, it is possible to develop new approaches aimed at solving chronic learning and social problems experienced by children and youth.
1 Jan 2017
ESSA

ESSA │Health and Wellness

Social and emotional well-being, and positive mental and physical health are essential to overall student success. Individual factors like genetics, physical health, coping skills, and the unexpected traumatic events can impact student outcomes. By assessing and improving school and community environments, AIR works to reduce risk factors, promote health, and respond to students’ needs.
1 Jan 2017
ESSA

ESSA │Cultural Competency

In the increasingly diverse school communities across the country there is a growing need for the educator workforce to be culturally and linguistically competent and prepared to serve all students regardless of their cultural or racial/ethnic background. This is an issue many states are working to address in their ESSA planning process. AIR has a growing team of researchers and technical assistance professionals experienced in the identification and implementation of culturally and linguistically competent practices and strategies to increase educator diversity.
1 Jan 2017
ESSA

ESSA │School Climate and Safety

Many factors affect school climate and safety, determining the conditions for learning and teaching. By managing engagement, safety, and a supportive learning environment properly, schools at all levels can grow stronger. AIR has developed toolkits and resources to support educators in their efforts to transform school climate and improve safety in our nation’s schools.
1 Jan 2017
ESSA

ESSA │Curriculum and Instruction

The terms “curriculum” and “instruction” are broad categories that represent what is being taught to students and how those subjects are being taught by teachers. The ESSA consolidated state plan template does not include a specific section for curriculum and instruction but those topics are found throughout the drafts that states are currently circulating for review. Here you will find various subtopics that are found in current draft plans that relate to the concept of curriculum and instruction.
5 Dec 2016
Video

Webinar: Bringing Social and Emotional Learning to the Forefront — What Happens When Districts Prioritize SEL

What does social and emotional learning look like in practice? Specifically, what can district and school leaders do to promote it? In this 75-minute webinar, co-hosted by AIR, American Youth Policy Forum, the Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning, and the Washoe County School District, audiences heard from a panel of researchers and practitioners on ways in which districts and school leaders have implemented a coordinated and purposeful SEL effort.
1 Nov 2016 | 12:00 PM - 1:15 PM
Event

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Girls and boys talking over schoolwork

ESSA’s Non-Academic Measure: What States Should Know About School Climate and SEL

The Education Policy Center at AIR convened social and emotional learning and school climate experts who offered ideas on what non-academic accountability measures states should consider, as allowed under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Catch up by watching a recording of the event.
Nick Yoder on Social Emotional Learning
24 Oct 2016
Video

Social and Emotional Learning Explained: How SEL Helps Students in College, Career, and Life

Social and emotional learning (SEL) develops people’s ability to make successful life choices, to achieve academically, and to be college and career ready. In this video, Nick Yoder explains how SEL can help students and what research says about its effectiveness.
21 Oct 2016
Brief

When Districts Support and Integrate Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

Social and emotional skills undergird student success—and mold better citizens. Results from the Collaborating Districts Initiative suggest that even modest investments can pay off for individuals, schools, and society. In this policy brief, Kimberly Kendziora and Nick Yoder share the results of the evaluation and offer policy six recommendations for states and districts implementing SEL initiatives.
6 Oct 2016
Brief

Creating Healthy Schools: Ten Key Ideas for the SEL and School Climate Community

Healthy schools and supportive school environments provide connection, support, engagement, and physical and emotional safety, as well as access to social networks and resources for students. This brief, which evolved from a larger project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, outlines the central principles needed to support students in an equitable, collaborative, and healthy environment.
4 Oct 2016
Video

AIR Whiteboard: Keeping Social and Emotional Learning at the Center of Teaching and Learning

Have you ever wondered what social and emotional skills look like in practice? If so, watch this whiteboard animation that follows a student throughout her day and ways in which she applies her social and emotional skills.

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Image of two students working together at a table
Project

Learning with Others: A Study Exploring the Relationship Between Collaboration, Personalization, and Equity

Personalized learning is often equated with individual learning using technology. Yet for many students, learning on their own may not effectively meet their needs. The aim of this study was to explore racial differences in experiences and benefits associated with collaboration.

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Image of students working together
Project

Maximizing Student Agency: Implementing and Measuring Student-Centered Learning Practices

The purpose of this study was to identify the instructional practices that may be useful for the development of different aspects of student agency (i.e., self-efficacy, self-regulated learning, and persistence) and determine whether these instructional practices are equally helpful for different subgroups of students.
Kristina Zeiser
31 Aug 2016
Blog Post

Three Studies Show Impact of Deeper Learning

Today, success isn’t just about what you know. It’s also about how quickly you can grasp and apply new knowledge. That’s the theory behind “deeper learning,” a broad term encompassing the goals of an increasing number of U.S. schools and school systems. In a series of reports, researchers at AIR examined whether and how opportunities for deeper learning change high school graduation and college attendance rates for students. In this blog post, Kristina Zeiser, Jordan Rickles, and Mette Huberman share the studies’ results.
Wendy Surr
29 Jun 2016
Blog Post

Do CBE Schools Benefit Students? Six Core Features May Make the Difference.

Competency-based education (CBE) sets the bar high for all students—but offers personalized support and allows each student to move at his or her own pace. In this blog post, Wendy Surr, an author of AIR’s new study examining CBE policies and practices for ninth graders in 18 high schools in three states, describes the study's findings and calls for core CBE features to happen in every classroom, every day.
Teacher working closely with student
29 Jun 2016
Report

Looking Under the Hood of Competency-Based Education: The Relationship Between Competency-Based Education Practices and Students’ Learning Skills, Behaviors, and Dispositions

Competency-based education makes student mastery of learning goals—rather than seat time—the metric to determine student credit and progression. Take a closer look at how schools implement competency-based education, and how it is related to what students need to learn effectively.
Ken Martinez
25 Mar 2016
Video

Long Story Short: How Can Schools Reduce Disparities in Disciplinary Action and Promote Student Mental Health?

In this video interview, Ken Martinez discusses steps schools can take to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in school discipline and increase access to mental health services for students who struggle after being expelled or suspended.
Image of smiling African American teacher with student
7 Mar 2016
Guide

Quick Guide on Making School Climate Improvements

This Quick Guide provides district and school leaders, teachers, school staff, and other members of the school community with information about how to initiate, implement, and sustain school climate improvements. This guide will help you plan; engage stakeholders; collect, analyze, and report school climate data; identify and implement interventions; and monitor and evaluate your progress.
Building blocks
17 Feb 2016
Spotlight

Applying Social Science in the Real World

Informing practice with the best research and making research more relevant to practice are easier said than done. Making a tangible difference in people’s lives is harder still. In this series of short commentaries, AIR experts reflect on ways to meet the challenge.
16 Feb 2016
Commentary

Implementing Evidence-Based Interventions in Real-World Settings

In this commentary (part of our longform essay, Applying Social Science in the Real World), David Osher discusses three research-to-practice challenges to successfully implementing evidence-based practices and programs.
David Osher
16 Feb 2016
Blog Post

Beyond Shame and Blame in the Classroom

On February 12th, a New York Times story linked to a video of a teacher in a well-known New York City charter school losing her temper and humiliating a first grader. In this blog post, Angela Minnici and David Osher contend that the video and some reactions to it reveal a faulty understanding of the kind of educational experiences students—especially the most vulnerable—need to succeed in school, career, and civic life and of the role the adults play in creating those experiences.
Image of Deborah Moroney
29 Jan 2016
Blog Post

Are Schools Ready to Assess Social and Emotional Development?

Mounting evidence shows that social and emotional learning skills may be more predictive than test scores of student success in English language arts and math. In this blog post, Deborah Moroney and Michael McGarrah discuss how states and districts can build systems to support and properly assess these social and emotional skills and competencies.
19 Jan 2016
Toolkit

ED School Climate Surveys (EDSCS)

Measuring school climate is critical for improving school climate because high quality school climate data allow you to understand the perceptions of the students, staff, and parents in your school or district; monitor progress; make data-driven decisions; involve stakeholders; and adapt to shifting needs related to school climate. The U.S. Department of Education has developed the new, high-quality, adaptable ED School Climate Surveys, which allows states, local districts, and schools to collect and act on reliable, nationally-validated school climate data in real-time.
Image of kids in a circle with teacher outside after school
15 Jan 2016
Spotlight

Beyond the Bell: Turning Research into Action in Afterschool and Expanded Learning

How can we better support young people as they learn the skills they need to succeed in school, work, and life? These resources focus on social and emotional development outside the classroom.
23 Dec 2015
Blog Post

New Year's Resolution for Policymakers: End Zero Tolerance

Zero tolerance policies were born out of fear and even desperation. After the 1999 school shootings in Colorado, some educators and public figures adopted a tough law-and-order stance; but, instead of deterrence, we got a discipline regime of mass suspensions. In this blog post, AIR's Peter Cookson argues that zero tolerance discipline and other failed, counter-productive policies should disappear into the void.
David Osher
21 Dec 2015
Blog Post

Zero Tolerance and Bias Reinforce the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Schools must be places of safety and support for all students. And yet, in an effort to make our schools safe havens, districts have adopted zero-tolerance policies and increased school policing. The result, however, has driven some of our most vulnerable students out of school and into a judicial system often built for punishment rather than support: the school-to-prison pipeline. In this blog post, AIR’s Jeffrey Poirier and David Osher argue that re-evaluating zero tolerance policies, training staff to deal with non-threatening but disruptive student behaviors, and working to eliminate bias can go a long way to ending the school-to-prison pipeline.
13 Dec 2015
Toolkit

The In-School and Afterschool Social and Emotional Learning Connection: A Planning Tool

School-day and afterschool programs must work together to support young people as they develop. Although research shows that both in-school and afterschool staff find social and emotional learning important, the ways in which these different settings support young people vary. This tool is designed for afterschool and in-school staff first to reflect independently on their goals for social and emotional learning discuss how best to work collaboratively toward a common goal.
13 Dec 2015
Brief

Linking Schools and Afterschool Through Social and Emotional Learning

How can we better support young people as they develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in school, work, and life? That is the question facing in-school educators, afterschool providers, families, policymakers, and the general public. This brief covers the policy context reflecting a growing interest in social and emotional learning and how afterschool and in-school educators can work together.
Bullied girl at locker
7 Dec 2015
Index

AIR Index: Bullying

The annual Indicators of School Crime and Safety report, co-written by AIR, shares the most current data on crime and safety at schools. See a rundown of the latest numbers on bullying.
4 Dec 2015
Brief

Ready for Work? How Afterschool Programs Can Support Employability Through Social and Emotional Learning

For educators and employers, understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that ultimately contribute to success in school, work, and life is a priority. Over the past decade, afterschool programs have focused on preparing young people for the workforce by developing good work habits and a strong work ethic; this brief addresses the importance of those programs also teaching social and emotional learning competencies.
4 Dec 2015
Toolkit

How Afterschool Programs Can Support Employability Through Social and Emotional Learning: A Planning Tool

Although young people need many skills to be successful in the workplace, one aspect of employability has gained attention in recent years—the need for workers to have strong social and emotional skills. Afterschool programs have a role to play in supporting the development of these skills for all youth. This planning tool is designed to help afterschool workers identify priority areas for employability skills building based on youth and employer input, and plan next steps based on that input.
28 Oct 2015
Service

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Solutions at AIR

Practitioners and researchers agree that social and emotional learning (SEL) is essential to academic achievement and well-being in school, as well as success in college and career. Above and beyond the free supports that AIR’s federal technical assistance centers provide, SEL Solutions at AIR offers an approach to keep social and emotional learning at the center of students’ educational experiences.
17 Oct 2015
Guide

Connecting Social and Emotional Learning to Michigan’s School Improvement Framework: Guidance and Resources for K–12 and Early Childhood Settings

The Michigan Department of Education collaborated with the Great Lakes Comprehensive Center (GLCC) and the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (GTL Center) to develop this guide.
5 Oct 2015
Podcast

EdCast: Social and Emotional Learning #2 - A Key Ingredient to School Transformation and Success

In this podcast, Kim Kendziora talks with Melissa Schlinger of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), lead partner in an eight-district demonstration program that aims to establish whether and how large urban school districts can systematically implement social and emotional learning into their work, which AIR has been evaluating since its inception. The results provide insight on how SEL can be a key ingredient to school transformation and success.
1 Oct 2015 to 31 Oct 2015
| 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Event

Connected Educator Month 2015: Global Connections Transform Professional Learning

Connected Educator Month (CEM) is an annual, October-long collection of events and resources to connect educators and education stakeholders with professional learning experiences worldwide. This year, AIR is leading three CEM themes: Social and Emotional Learning in School Settings, Building Quality Beyond the Bell, and Multi-tiered Systems of Support. AIR staff will also participate in the Broadening Participation in STEM Education theme, and host an October 22 Webinar, “Acquiring Core Content for English Language Learners.”
19 Sep 2015
Toolkit

The SEL School: Connecting Social and Emotional Learning to Effective Teaching

Great teachers do more than promote the student's academic learning–they teach the whole child. The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders' Social and Emotional Learning School helps teachers, school and district leaders, and state education agencies collaborate in connecting social and emotional learning to effective teaching.
14 Sep 2015
Toolkit

Social and Emotional Learning Practices: A Self-Reflection Tool for Afterschool Staff

Both the formal and informal education communities are increasingly focused on fostering opportunities for social and emotional learning (SEL) and the link between SEL and youth outcomes. This self-reflection tool is designed to help afterschool program staff reflect upon their own social and emotional competencies and their ability to support young people's SEL through program practices.
Teenage boy with backpack
11 Sep 2015
Commentary

Absent for a Reason? Addressing School Attendance Problems

While some students happily return to school in the fall, others face stress and disconnection. In this commentary, David Osher argues that criminalizing attendance problems is unproductive, and that we should instead be creating engaging and supportive school environments that meet student needs and address the unique cluster of factors that contribute to each student’s attendance problems.
31 Aug 2015
Report

Advancing School Discipline Reform

During the past two decades, there has been an increase in exclusionary and punitive discipline in US schools. These disciplinary approaches have been discriminatory in their impacts and have failed to improve school safety. Luckily, a growing body of evidence shows that changing discipline policies and practices can improve school climate and student achievement. This report focuses on how to address students’ behavioral issues while enabling them to succeed.
Allison Gandhi
11 Aug 2015
Video

Long Story Short: How Can Non-Academic Supports in Schools Lead to Better Student Achievement?

Issues besides academics, such as mental health and safety, often affect student attendance and learning. In this interview, AIR principal researcher Allison Gandhi discusses how schools can foster well-being by providing non-academic support services, enabling students to thrive and achieve better academic outcomes.
30 Jul 2015 | 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
Event

Toxic Stress: How Economic Inequality Hurts Early Childhood Development

On July 30, 2015 AIR hosted an event examining the ways economic inequality can constrain young children’s learning opportunities. Guest presenter C. Cybele Raver will review the neuroscience of early socioemotional development in the context of toxic stress.
30 Jul 2015
Report

Cross-District Implementation Summary: Social and Emotional Learning in Eight School Districts (2014)

Social and emotional learning is the process through which children learn the skills to handle themselves, their relationships, and their work effectively and ethically. This report presents findings about the outcomes of a complex eight-district demonstration project designed to learn about as well and show how and to what end school districts can make social and emotional learning an essential part of every student’s education.
Teenagers working together in a group
29 Jul 2015
Commentary

Social and Emotional Learning Makes News—and Sense

Research findings continue to point to the importance of social and emotional learning in children's lives. In this response to David Bornstein's 7/24/15 New York Times article, David Osher describes initiatives in Cleveland and other districts that have improved students' social and emotional competence and school test performance. The key, he notes, is building the capacity of teachers and schools to implement the programs.
Afterschool brief cover
27 Jul 2015
Brief

Supporting Social and Emotional Development Through Quality Afterschool Programs

During the past 20 years, the afterschool field has been held accountable in varying ways—first, on the ability to provide safe places for young people to spend time while their parents work; then, on success in helping to improve participants’ academic achievement as a supplement to the school day. This brief provides an overview of work done to date both in afterschool and school-based settings to define social and emotional learning, shares recent research on how afterschool programs contribute to the development of these competencies, and offers some next step recommendations to both practitioners and researchers.
25 Jul 2015
Guide

Addressing the Root Causes of Disparities in School Discipline: An Educator’s Action Planning Guide

Discriminatory discipline practices in our nation’s schools disproportionately impact students of color; students with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive disabilities; and youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning, and the impact on students, families, schools, and the community is serious. This guide provides tools to assess and systematically address disparities in school discipline. It describes how to carry out a descriptive analysis of disparities in school discipline and how to conduct a root cause analysis to systematically address school-based factors that contribute to disparities.
teenager talks about exclusionary discipline
24 Jul 2015
Spotlight

Exclusionary School Discipline

Recently experts from across the nation convened at the White House to discuss best practices that foster safe, supportive, and productive learning environments that keep kids in school and out of the juvenile justice system. A planning guide aimed at promoting positive school climates and ending disparities in administering student discipline, Addressing the Root Causes of Disparities in School Discipline, An Educator’s Guide, developed and written by AIR experts, was released at the event.
teenager talks about exclusionary discipline
22 Jul 2015
Video

Young People Speak Out About Exclusionary School Discipline

AIR experts David Osher and Sandra Williamson were at the White House this week speaking at the national convening to "Rethink School Discipline." In this video from an earlier event, we hear from students themselves.
10 Jul 2015
Podcast

EdCast: Social and Emotional Learning #1 - A Head and Heart Issue

What is social-emotional learning and what does it look like in practice? David Osher and Cleveland Public Schools' CEO Eric Gordon discuss.
4 Jun 2015
Commentary

Cautious Optimism and a Path Forward to Reduce Bullying

Bullying is on the decline, but evidence is mounting that it is even more toxic for children and adolescents than previously thought. In this commentary, David Osher suggests the need for an interim strategy until anti-bullying efforts are in full force, such as the infusion approach, which integrates anti-bullying initiatives into other school-wide activities.
31 Mar 2015
Policy Brief

Social and Emotional Skills for Life and Career: Policy Levers That Focus on the Whole Child

Schools need to place a greater emphasis on social and emotional skills for students to prepare them for work and for life. In this policy snapshot, we summarize existing research about the effects of education on students’ social and emotional skills and identify important state and district policy considerations for initiating and integrating social and emotional learning, as well as for preparing and developing teachers and administrators to focus on the whole child.
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9 Dec 2014
Video

Long Story Short: Why Should School Districts Collaborate?

School districts play a pivotal role in creating the conditions for learning and many are going through a time of intense change. Joel Knudson, an AIR senior researcher, explains how collaboration can help school districts face shared challenges and partner together to continuously improve.
19 Nov 2014
Blog Post

Consensus Is Emerging on Teaching Social and Emotional Skills

Getting a job is about more than academic performance. In this blog post, Kimberly Kendziora discusses the growing body of research on the importance of social and emotional skills, such as self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills.
11 Aug 2014
Brief

Brief Series: Funding Strategies to Build Sustainable School Mental Health Programs

A series of issue briefs developed by AIR staff and partners for the Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health offers answers to key questions regarding sustainable school mental health programs that serve children and youth with serious mental health needs.
Young boy at computer
21 Jul 2014
Spotlight

Creating Opportunities for Young Men of Color

In February 2014, President Obama launched the My Brother’s Keeper initiative. This week, the president is announcing an additional $104 million in funding from new partnerships with public and private groups to address the opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color at critical stages throughout their lives. AIR’s work focuses on issues critical to the support of young men of color, from childhood interventions to preparation for career success.
Project

Pathways to School Success in Pakistan

With 30% of more than 17 million primary school-age children not in school, and 35% of those who attend school unable to master single digit subtraction by Grade 3, the Prime Minister of Pakistan declared an education emergency. The Pathways to School Success project seeks to increase on-time enrollment, retention, and performance of pre- and primary school-age girls and boys in disaster affected communities in the Sindh region of Pakistan.
15 Apr 2014
Toolkit

Social and Emotional Learning in the Daily Life of Classrooms

Integrating social and emotional learning into existing initiatives, including teacher evaluation, Common Core State Standards implementation, and professional learning, is no easy task. This module builds on the ideas shared in our Research-to-Practice Brief, Teaching the Whole Child: Instructional Practices That Support Social-Emotional Learning in Three Teacher Evaluation Frameworks.
Infographic: Paid parental leave varies by country
13 Mar 2014
Infographic

Paid Parental Leave Varies by Country

Most countries require paid leave for employees to care for their newborn child. This infographic compares U.S. leave amounts with that of four other countries.
9 Mar 2014
Commentary

Syrian Refugees Need More Than Food

In this commentary, AIR expert Amy West discusses the need for education and job skills training for displaced Syrian youth, a need that will require the help and cooperation of education ministries, donors, government officials, and others from multiple countries.
12 Feb 2014
Commentary

Do We Need to Use Seclusion and Restraint in Our Schools?

All public and private educational settings should provide nurturing environments that support student learning and development. Unfortunately, some students with emotional and behavioral challenges and disorders experience seclusion or restraint instead.

1 Feb 2014
Toolkit

Self-Assessing Social and Emotional Instruction and Competencies: A Tool for Teachers

The educational community is increasingly focused on the development of students’ social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies and the link between SEL and improved educational attainment and achievement. This self-assessment tool is designed to help educators reflect upon (1) their current teaching practices that impact student SEL, and (2) their own SEL competencies to implement those teaching practices.
31 Jan 2014
Brief

Teaching the Whole Child: Instructional Practices That Support Social-Emotional Learning in Three Teacher Evaluation Frameworks

Although teachers understand the critical importance of social-emotional learning for their students’ overall development, few educator evaluation systems explicitly address that type of learning. This brief identifies the instructional practices that promote student social-emotional learning, which in turn are critical for student academic learning; and showcases how three popular teacher evaluation frameworks embed practices that influence not only student academic learning but also student social and emotional competencies.
Racial Disparities in School Discipline Infographic
29 Jan 2014
Infographic

Disparities in School Discipline by Race

The disproportionate effects of harsh, exclusionary school discipline are the impetus behind research into disparities in school discipline and the negative effects of exclusionary discipline. This infographic shows the differences in school discipline by race.
13 Dec 2013 | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Event

Policymakers Gather to Learn About Essential Conditions for Learning

On Dec. 3, 2013, policymakers and representatives from national education organizations gathered on Capitol Hill for a presentation by AIR researchers on how to create safe and supportive learning environments for children inside and outside of the classroom.

22 Nov 2013 to 21 Jan 2014
| 12:00 AM - 2:15 PM
Event

Dec. 3 Briefing: Conditions for Learning: Ensuring Safety and Support for Students Inside and Outside the Classroom

Successful schools must create and maintain effective conditions for learning. This AIR briefing will focus on the evidence base for implementing a continuum of supports focused on the learning conditions for children from early education through grade 12.

Project

National Clearinghouse on Supportive School Discipline

The National Clearinghouse on Supportive School Discipline supports educational practitioners in their efforts to transform the conditions for learning as well as harsh, exclusionary and disproportionate disciplinary practices in our nation's schools.
Project

Social and Emotional Learning for Children and Youth in Bangladesh

Social and emotional learning includes mastery of skills such as recognizing and managing emotions, setting and achieving positive goals, making responsible decisions, and handling interpersonal situations constructively. AIR is working to support social and emotional learning among children and adolescents in schools and programs in marginalized communities across Bangladesh.
Project

Evaluation of the Families and Schools Together Program in 60 Schools in Philadelphia

The School District of Philadelphia, PA, is working to increase parent and family engagement by participating in a study of the Families and Schools Together (FAST) program.

9 Sep 2013
Report

Roundtable: The Perspectives of Youth Affected by Exclusionary School Discipline

Exclusionary school discipline policies once instituted to prevent serious infractions have crept into discipline practices for minor issues. Youth who participated in a roundtable on the subject contend that it limits opportunities to learn and compromises academic achievement; is applied disproportionately and subjectively; and deprives students of the support services they need.
Project

School Climate Survey Compendium

The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) maintains a compendium of valid and reliable surveys, assessments, and scales of school climate that can assist educators in their efforts to identify and assess their conditions for learning. The intent of this compendium is to gather student, faculty and staff, family, administrator, and community surveys in Pre-K/Elementary School, middle and high school, and higher education environments. The surveys can be used in whole or in part; that is, whole surveys or individual scales can be administered to target respondents. All scales in the compendium have been tested for validity and reliability.
26 Jun 2013
Infographic

Student Reports of Bullying

This infographic shows the percent of students reporting bullying, both at school and online, in 2011.
5 Jun 2013
Report

A Moderated Mediation Model: Racial Discrimination, Coping Strategies, and Racial Identity Among Black Adolescents

This study examines how general coping strategies mediate the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and depression. Results suggest that the use of “avoidant coping strategies” may mediate or help to explain why perceptions of racial discrimination are associated with increased depression among African American youth.

1 Jun 2013
Report

PATHS Implementation and Outcome Study in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District - Final Report

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District implemented an evidence-based social and emotional learning program—Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS). AIR’s evaluation of the program indicates that student outcomes improved, despite the challenges faced by this complex urban school district, and even with imperfect implementation and uncertain fidelity.

30 Mar 2013
Report

Cross-District Outcome Evaluation Report: Social and Emotional Learning in Eight School Districts (2014)

Social and emotional learning is the process through which children learn the skills to handle themselves, their relationships, and their work effectively and ethically. This report presents findings about the outcomes of a complex eight-district demonstration project designed to learn about as well and show how and to what end school districts can make social and emotional learning an essential part of every student’s education.
29 Mar 2013
Toolkit

Preventing, Assessing, and Intervening in Teen Dating Abuse

AIR’s National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments has released a training toolkit on teenage dating abuse for instructional support personnel, such as guidance counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses, and other professionals. Research shows that schools can make a difference in preventing interpersonal teen violence.

12 Mar 2013
Commentary

Parental Leave That Might Pay for Itself

Susan Muenchow and Christopher Ruhm discuss how a paid parental leave policy could promote a more stable foundation for children and families in the U.S.—without breaking the bank. Longer leave gives mothers more time to heal physically, encourages breastfeeding, and promotes parent-baby attachment.
4 Feb 2013
Report

Avoid Simple Solutions and Quick Fixes: Improving Conditions for Learning

The Cleveland School District and AIR implemented a districtwide effort to improve safety, order, and conditions for learning, including social and emotional competence, connectedness to caring adults and peers, and the experience of emotional and physical safety.  Findings included improved conditions for learning, better attendance, decreased disruptive behavior, and fewer suspensions.

Project

Conditions for Learning Survey

AIR supports improved student and school performance through the Conditions for Learning Survey, administered in schools across the United States. The survey assesses four core constructs within elementary, middle, and high schools: safety, challenge, support, and social-emotional climate.
1 Sep 2012
Report

Alaskan Schools: What Matters to Students? Listening to the Voices of Engaged and Disengaged Alaska Native and Non-Native Students

What makes a school a place where Alaskan students want to be and want to do well? Why do students stay in school or drop out? And what do Alaskan students believe that schools can do to help them succeed? Researchers at AIR present the answers, provided directly by students, to these questions.

1 Sep 2012
Report

Alaskan Schools: What Matters to Students? Listening to the Voices of Engaged and Disengaged Alaska Native and Non-Native Students

What makes a school a place where Alaskan students want to be and want to do well? Why do students stay in school or drop out? And what do Alaskan students believe that schools can do to help them succeed? Researchers at AIR present the answers, provided directly by students, to these questions.

Project

Anchorage Social and Emotional Learning and School Climate Analysis

In 2011, the Anchorage School District asked AIR to conduct a quick-turnaround analysis examining whether student responses to a particular set of items on the School Climate and Connectedness Survey were a reliable measure by which to gauge school progress in fostering students’ social and emotional learning skills and whether the measured skills were related to achievement.

Project

Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics

The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, a working group of 22 federal agencies, provides information to the public and policy-makers on the well-being of America’s children. For the past 5 years, AIR has supported the Forum to advance knowledge about children’s home environment, economic status, education, health, and behavior.

11 Oct 2011 | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Event

AIR Experts to Present at the 2011 Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Conference for Children's Justice & Safety

Experts from AIR's NDTAC Center will present at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP’s) October 12-14, 2011, National Conference, “Children’s Justice & Safety: Unite, Build, Lead,” as well as an October 11 pre-conference education session, at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in Washington, DC.

29 Jul 2011
Brochure

The Good Behavior Game: Success in the Classroom and Beyond

AIR provides a comprehensive approach to training, on-site coaching, and program oversight to realize positive results from the Good Behavior Game.

21 Jun 2011
Brochure

Good Behavior Game Research, Training and Support

The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a team-based classroom behavior management strategy that helps young children master the role of student while developing the discipline needed to sit still, pay attention and complete their school work. AIR works with school districts and communities on all aspects of GBG implementation.

Project

Wraparound Zone Initiative Evaluation

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Wraparound Zones (WAZ) Initiative is designed to create coordinated district systems that allow schools to proactively and systematically address the nonacademic needs of students. AIR conducted an evaluation of how well the WAZ Initiative achieved these goals, which found improvements in student behavior, family engagement, and the student referral process, and that students in WAZ schools performed better on the English language arts and mathematics assessment as compared with students in comparison schools.
Project

Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP)

The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs was formed in 2008 to enhance collaboration among 19 federal departments/agencies to improve outcomes for youth.
1 Apr 2010
Report

NIDA Notes: Behavior Game Reduces Later Drug-Related Problems

A recent special issue in the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence highlights findings from three decades of research on the Good Behavior Game and its impact on a variety of long term behavioral and mental health outcomes.

15 Oct 2009
Report

2007 Student Connection Survey, Sample Score Report 2007

In 2005 AIR partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to identify the core indicators that schools must actively manage to support student success, and develop an instrument to assess these indicators.

15 Oct 2009
Report

2007 Student Connection Survey, Sample Score Report 2007

In 2005 AIR partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to identify the core indicators that schools must actively manage to support student success, and develop an instrument to assess these indicators.

Project

Chicago Public Schools’ Student Connection Survey

From 2005 through 2007, AIR worked closely with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to develop a turn-key system for CPS to measure and act upon the social emotional conditions for learning in their schools. The accountability provisions of the CPS’ district reform efforts required the development of school profiles, which contain information about student performance and school characteristics.

Project

Wisconsin Responsive Education for All Children Initiative (REACh)

The Wisconsin Responsive Education for All Children (REACh) initiative was launched in 2006 to create a framework for implementation of early intervening services and response to intervention (RTI). The initiative provided small competitive grants to a limited number of schools within the state to implement this framework. AIR was subsequently awarded the contract to conduct a formative evaluation of the new Wisconsin RTI Center.

Project

Wisconsin Responsive Education for All Children Initiative (REACh)

The Wisconsin Responsive Education for All Children (REACh) initiative was launched in 2006 to create a framework for implementation of early intervening services and response to intervention (RTI). The initiative provided small competitive grants to a limited number of schools within the state to implement this framework. AIR was subsequently awarded the contract to conduct a formative evaluation of the new Wisconsin RTI Center.

23 Oct 2008
Report

Student Victimization in U.S. Public Schools: Results from the 2005 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey

This report provides estimates of student victimization and characteristics of victims and nonvictims using data from the 2005 National Crime Victimization Survey Basic Screen Questionnaire, the NCVS Crime Incident Report, and the School Crime Supplement to the NCVS.

Project

Cleveland Metropolitan School District Human Ware Initiative

AIR is assisting Cleveland Metropolitan School District in its Human Ware Initiative, which is assessing and improving conditions that support learning, teaching, safety, and child and youth development. The district designed this initiative following recommendations from AIR's Human Ware (HW) Audit.
23 Aug 2008
Report

Cleveland Metropolitan School District Human Ware Audit: Findings and Recommendations

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District and the mayor of Cleveland asked AIR to conduct an independent gaps analysis and to make recommendations regarding what can be done in Cleveland's schools and by its mental health and other community agencies to improve the connectedness that students have to school, as well as their mental wellness and safety.

31 Mar 2008
Report

Student Connection Research: Final Narrative Report to the Spencer Foundation

The purpose of this report is to begin a program of research to allow us to better understand how Student Connection constructs related to other educational quality indicators, and how they can be used for school performance management.

31 Mar 2008
Report

Student Connection Research: Final Narrative Report to the Spencer Foundation

The purpose of this report is to begin a program of research to allow us to better understand how Student Connection constructs related to other educational quality indicators, and how they can be used for school performance management.

11 Dec 2007
Report

Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2007

This report covers topics such as victimization, fights, bullying, classroom disorder, weapons, student perceptions of school safety, teacher injury, and availability and student use of drugs and alcohol. Indicators of crime and safety are compared across different population subgroups and over time. Data on crimes that occur outside of school grounds are offered as a point of comparison where available.

5 Sep 2007
Report

Public School Practices for Violence Prevention and Reduction: 2003–04

School violence can lead to a disruptive and threatening environment, physical injury, and emotional stress, all of which can be obstacles to student achievement (Elliott, Hamburg, and Williams 1998). Educators have responded to the perceived threat of school violence by implementing programs designed to prevent, deter, and respond to the potential for violence in schools (Peterson, Larson, and Skiba 2001). In addition, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110) emphasizes the importance of safe learning environments by requiring schools to have a safety plan in place and to fund programs and practices intended to prevent and reduce violence in schools.  

9 Apr 2007
Report

Children’s Self-Report About Their Social-Emotional Development from Third to Fifth Grade: Findings from the ECLS-K

This paper uses longitudinal self-report data from a nationally representative data set to explore the relationships between self-perceptions of peer relationships and problem behaviors measured at the end of the third and fifth grades and various socio-demographic characteristics and academic performance.

9 Apr 2007
Report

Children’s Self-Report About Their Social-Emotional Development from Third to Fifth Grade: Findings from the ECLS-K

This paper uses longitudinal self-report data from a nationally representative data set to explore the relationships between self-perceptions of peer relationships and problem behaviors measured at the end of the third and fifth grades and various socio-demographic characteristics and academic performance.

4 Apr 2007
Report

Effects of a Universal Classroom Behavior Management Program

The Good Behavior Game (GBG), a method of classroom behavior management used by teachers, was tested in first and second grade classrooms in 19 Baltimore City Public Schools beginning in the 1985–1986 school year. The intervention was directed at the classroom as a whole to socialize children to the student role and reduce aggressive, disruptive behaviors, confirmed antecedents of later substance abuse and dependence disorders, smoking, and antisocial personality disorder.

20 Dec 2006
Report

Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2006

This report covers topics such as victimization, fights, bullying, disorder, weapons, student perceptions of school safety, teacher injury, and drugs and alcohol. Indicators of crime and safety are compared across different population subgroups and over time. Data on crimes that occur outside of school grounds are offered as a point of comparison where available.

28 Sep 2005
Presentation

Long-Term Educational Outcomes of Children in the Positive Education Program’s Early Childhood Centers

Slides from a presentation on September 28, 2005 to the Advisory Board for the Long Term Outcomes for Children Receiving Preschool Intervention for Behavioral and Developmental Concerns Project in Cleveland, OH.
6 Aug 2005
Report

Single-Sex Versus Coeducational Schooling

Single-sex education refers most generally to education at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary level in which males or females attend school exclusively with members of their own sex. This report is a systematic quantitative review of single-sex education at the elementary and secondary levels.

9 Nov 2004
Report

Theoretical Arguments For and Against Single-Sex Schools

The question of whether single-sex schooling is preferable to coeducation for some or all students continues to be hotly debated. This paper evaluates several hypothetical reasons why one has been proposed to be more beneficial than the other.
1 Feb 2004
Report

All Students Reaching the Top: Strategies for Closing Academic Achievement Gaps

This report, written by members of the National Study Group for the Affirmative Development of Academic Ability, provides a set of practical recommendations for what policymakers, educators, parents, and the community can do to move all students—particularly minority and low-income students—to hi

26 Aug 2000
Report

Addressing Student Problem Behavior – Part III

This third monograph, addressing the 1997 Amendments to IDEA, discusses how to use the information gathered during the functional behavioral assessment process to develop and implement positive behavioral intervention plans that address both the short- and long-term needs of the student.

21 Apr 2000
Guide

Safeguarding Our Children: An Action Guide

The purpose of this Action Guide is to help schools develop and implement a comprehensive violence prevention plan grounded in the principles of the Early Warning Guide. This Action Guide is based on evidence-based practices. Effective action plans are strategic, coordinated, and comprehensive. They involve schoolwide prevention, early intervention, and intensive services for students with significant emotional or behavioral needs, including those with disruptive, destructive, or violent behaviors.

26 Mar 2000
Report

Early Intervention in Children’s Mental Health

This article introduces basic definitions and concepts important in discussions of early intervention for children with, or at risk for developing, emotional or behavioral disorders.

26 Mar 2000
Report

Mental Health Screening and Services in the Schools: A Public Health Approach

This article takes a public health perspective on early intervention for children with, or at risk for developing, emotional or behavioral disorders.

26 Aug 1999
Report

Addressing Student Problem Behavior - Part II

The second of three guides that address the 1997 Amendments to IDEA as they relate to the issue of functional behavioral assessment and positive behavioral interventions and supports.

26 Aug 1999
Video

Functional Assessment and Behavioral Intervention Plans

These two 2-hour video workshops cover the definitions, origins, and guidelines for functional behavioral assessment. They are made available through AIR's Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice.
25 Aug 1998
Guide

Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools

A brief summary of the research on violence prevention and intervention and crisis response in schools.

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David Osher

David Osher

Vice President and Institute Fellow
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Deborah Moroney

Vice President

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