Social-Emotional Growth (SEG) is a high priority for Kansans. In the Kansas Can Vision for Education, SEG is one of the five measured outcome set forth by the Kansas State Board of Education. Skills encompassed in SEG include intrapersonal and interpersonal abilities, such as self-awareness, social awareness, problem solving, and decision making. These are skills that can be taught, and they are foundational to student success in school and life. It is important for schools to measure the social-emotional development of students, just as academic development is measured. These measures can inform instructional practice, moving social and emotional learning from a singular endeavor to an integrated part of daily instruction.

The Kansans Can Vision for Education calls for a more student-focused system that provides support and resources for individual success and will require everyone to work together to make it a reality. Together, Kansans Can.

American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a leader in SEG. In October of 2016 AIR released a comprehensive report titled, “When Districts Support and Integrate Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Findings from an Ongoing Evaluation of Districtwide Implementation of SEL". This report provides the research base that demonstrates the importance of integrating SEG in Kansas schools.

For this vision to become reality, SEG must be seamlessly integrated into all areas of the school environment. The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has produced short video explaining the Kansans Can Vision for SEG, along with the Kansans Can Process for Social Emotional Integration.

• Kansans Can Vision Video Training Series
• Kansans Can Integrated Learning Process & Summary (PDF)

Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE) adopted aligned Social-Emotional and Character Development (SECD) Standards in 2012, and was the first state to adopt such standards integrated with character development. The second revision of these standards was approved by the KSBE July 2018.

In addition to the Kansas SECD standards, KSDE has incorporated the Kansans Can Competencies. This comprehensive resource is aligned with the Kansans Can Vision for Education, and it supports the integration of social-emotional competencies, curriculum and instruction. The following resources will provide information regarding standards, competencies, resources and measurement.

• Social, Emotional, and Character Development Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Kansas Social-Emotional and Character Development Standards (SECD) (PDF)
• Kansans Can Competencies (External Link)
• KSDE Measuring Social-Emotional Character Growth Toolkit (PDF)

The School Climate Report is available to all schools who participate in the Kansas Communities That Care Survey. This report can be used to as a tool to identify areas of school climate strengths and potential areas of growth. This information can also be helpful as artifacts for the KESA process and the Kansans Can Star Recognition for Social Emotional Growth. To learn more about this tool, please visit: Measuring Social Emotional Growth Kansas MTSS & Alignment. If your district participates in the annual, validated, anonymous, and free Kansas Communities That Care (KCTC) student survey, you will access your report in the AMOSS (Academic measures of Student Success) system within the KSDE Web Applications.

1. Log into the KSDE Web Application and enter AMOSS.
2. Click “Climate Survey” from the list of options on the left-hand side.
3. Select “climate survey” from the drop down.
4. Select a school year.
5. Select “download” under the Climate Survey Reports box.

SUPPORT: Use this quick video to get oriented

The Kansas Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) is the technical assistance provider for KSDE. The KSDE has a wealth of evidence-based resources and professional development opportunities for Kansas educators including a calendar of high quality events with links to registration and a monthly e-newsletter at www.ksdetasn.org. TASN webpages specific to Social-Emotional Growth, behavior, trauma, school mental health (SMH), and school culture include:

• Kansas School Mental Health Initiative (external link)
• Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (external link)
• Kansas Autism and Tertiary Behavior Supports (external link)

Other Professional Development Resources include:

• Compassionate Schools: The heart of Learning and Teaching (external link)
• Helping Traumatized Children Learn (external link)
• Tiered Behavior and Discipline Strategies (external link)
• SEL Roadmap for Reopening Schools (external link)

What is trauma-informed? The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines it this way. “A program, organization, or system that is trauma-informed responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices, and seeks to actively resist re-traumatization.” The following resources provide information regarding trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s), and resiliency.

• Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE’s)
  https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/981 (external PDF)
• Fostering Resiliency
• https://www.fosteringresilience.com/professionals/ (external link)
• How Childhood Trauma Affects health Across a Lifetime (Nadine Burke Harris)
  https://www.ted.com/talks/nadine_burke_harris_how_childhood_trauma_affects_health_across_a_lifetime?language=en (external link)
• KSDE/TASN Trauma-Informed Schools Resources
  https://www.ksdetasn.org/universal_search?search_term=Trauma-Informed+Schools+Resources (external link)
• Resiliency Resources
  https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/hot-topics/response-and-resiliency (external link)
• Brains: Journey to Resilience
• Trauma-Responsive School Community eLearning Modules and Facilitation Guide
  Flyer (PDF) / http://moodle.kansastasn.org/ (external link)

A restorative school implements a restorative approach to resolve conflict and heal relationships. Restorative approaches refer to strategies which can be used both to prevent relationship-damaging incidents from happening and to resolve them if they do happen. The following are resources related to restorative justice/practices.

• Kansas Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (KIPCOR)
  http://kipcor.org/ (external link)
• KIPCOR Restorative Schools Resources
  http://kipcor.org/training-education/restorative-practices-resources/ (external link)
• Restorative Justice Implementation Guide: Whole School Approach
  https://www.ousd.org/cms/lib/CA01001176/Centricity/Domain/134/BTC-OUSD1-IG-08b-web.pdf (external PDF)
• Center for Restorative Justice
  http://www.suffolk.edu/college/centers/14521.php (external link)

As schools seek to enhance social-emotional growth, it is essential that they be utilizing evidence-based practices. The following resources will link schools to best practices in social-emotional growth.

• Early Childhood Behavior and Social Emotional Learning Implementation Guide (external link)
• Early Childhood Social Emotional and Behavior Structuring (external link)
• PreK-12 Social Emotional and Behavior Structuring Guide (external link)
• Social Competencies (external link)
• Teacher Resources (external link)
• Evidence Informed School Mental Health Interventions (external link)
• Building Resiliency (external link)
• Systems of Care (external link)
• Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) District Resource Center (external link)
• Child Trends: What Works (external link)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center (external link)
• What Works Clearinghouse (external link)
• Safe and Supportive Schools Resource Center (link)

American Institute for Research One of the world's largest behavioral and social science research and evaluation organizations.

Association for Supervision, Curriculum and Development Dedicated to excellence in learning, teaching, and leading so that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

Character Lab Researching and creating new ways to help all students develop character.

Character.org An organization of passionate people advocating for integrity, honesty, respect, and other core ethical values to be fused into education for the betterment of our nation.

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) Advancing the practice of promoting integrated academic, social, and emotional learning for all children in preschool through high school.

National Center of Safe Supportive Learning Environments Information and technical assistance for States, districts, schools, institutions of higher learning, and communities focused on improving student supports and academic enrichment.