SEL skills are vital life-skills such as collaboration, compassion, healthy relationships, civic engagement, and good decision-making, just to name a few. Backed by decades of solid research, SEL is proven to make a positive impact on students’ academic achievement as well as social skills, behavior, school attendance and engagement, and graduation rates.
It’s the missing piece in our education system.
And it’s not just needed for the youth. Adults, and in particular educators, need SEL and wellness practices now more than ever as we face the current youth mental health crisis and mass exodus of burned-out teachers.
We envision a school environment where transformative SEL practices are embedded in everything we do. An environment where the mental health and well-being of all students and educators are our top priority in creating effective and supportive learning environments for all.
We do this through a combination of SEL advocacy, educator support and training, and grant-making for teachers and SEL providers to expand on the great work they are already doing to bring high-quality SEL practices to California schools.
SEL4CA works to connect SEL educators and programs with the students, teachers, and schools who need them.
We work with strategic partners in both the private and public sectors to bring innovative programs and curriculum that support the well-being of both students and teachers.
Our current initiatives include addressing the teacher burnout and shortage crisis by working with higher-education partners to re-build the teacher pipeline with Adult SEL practices embedded in how we train and prepare teachers to work with students.
Additionally, we support existing teachers through free training and professional learning opportunities and resources, and by micro-grants for teachers working to bring SEL to their schools and classrooms.
We are a membership organization, provided free to all California educators. Being an SEL4CA member means you have access to a statewide and national network of like-minded people who value SEL as a top priority in our schools.
We provide a way of keeping up to date on all the latest news, research, and policy around SEL. Being a member means access to free and discounted resources including, education tuition, classroom materials, books, professional development opportunities, a resource library with hundreds of SEL articles and research reports, SEL-related job leads, networking opportunities, and more.
Additionally, we have identified members deemed experts in the SEL field, located throughout California, enabling members to reach out to SEL experts in their area with questions or to request assistance with their needs.
Interested in becoming a member? Join now!
We are at the forefront of the fight for legislation and funding for SEL in California. We have garnered the support of top government officials and work regularly to ensure the advancement of SEL legislation. SEL4CA has a seat at the table on countless SEL policy and advisory committees and Boards.
We strive to engage all stakeholders, including schools, county offices of education, and the California department of education, in the work of SEL.
In California alone, there are hundreds of organizations and individuals doing great work in the field of SEL, oftentimes it can be daunting to evaluate which of those to support.
Our goal is to uplift the collective efforts of all in our mutual mission to further this work.
We offer free support, resources, and expert guidance to other non-profits and individuals working in the SEL space. Non-profits approach SEL4CA regularly asking for expert advice, guidance, support, and promotion of SEL resources and professional development opportunities for educators and students.
We connect schools and educators with SEL resources, speakers, presenters, trainers, curriculum, and program providers. We identify and connect those in specific regions of the state to facilitate collaborations at the local level as well as statewide.
In short, we connect SEL experts with the schools that need them.
SEL4CA is the founder of the Coalition for School Well-Being, a partnership between the private and public sectors, formed in the wake of the pandemic and wide-spread recognition of racial and social inequities.
The Coalitions’ top priority in California education is to support the mental health and well-being of our educators and students – our next generation of leaders.
Along with our state and national affiliates, SEL4CA has worked to grow this annual SEL advocacy campaign, celebrating our third year (2022) with a proclamation from Governor Newsom and President Biden. National social media attention for SEL Day has exceeded 14 million views, along with extensive media coverage to highlight SEL awareness.
The goal of this work is to continue to bring more eyes and ears to the importance of SEL, and to create opportunities for educators and schools to highlight their excellent work in the field of SEL.
Learn more about SEL Day
SEL4CA works to highlight teachers who are prioritizing SEL. Spotlighting these educators and schools inspires others to learn more about how to make SEL a priority in their work, and why they should.
We are actively engaged in addressing the issues of teacher burnout and the shortages we face, which existed pre-pandemic and have only grown more dire.
We have formed several partnerships to help address this issue, working to fortify the teacher-pipeline with educators who understand the importance of SEL, not only for their students but for themselves as well.
Studies show a correlation between stress-levels of teachers and student outcomes. Schools that focus on SEL create a more positive environment for both kids and adults, resulting in improved teacher satisfaction and effectiveness, and reduced stress, burnout and turnover.
