Understanding the Impact of Educators’ Social-emotional Learning (SEL) Skills on Student Academic Growth
Extensive research exists on students’ social and emotional learning (SEL) skills. SEL helps students develop healthy identities, regulate their emotions, and build supportive relationships. While much is known about the importance and impact of SEL for students, less research exists on educators’ SEL skills and how these skills relate to student academic achievement.
This report examines educators’ SEL skills, including emotion regulation and relationship management, as well as educators’ perceptions of well-being and school climate. We determine whether and how these factors relate to student academic achievement. Our analysis uses 2024 survey responses from 269 K-8 educators in a district with approximately 34,000 students, as well as students’ diagnostic assessments from a digital learning platform. This exploration is a first step in understanding how adult SEL skills may predict student learning outcomes.