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	DEVELOPING SAFE AND CIVIL SCHOOLS (DSACS): A SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING INITIATIVE A Program of the Rutgers Social-Emotional Learning Lab Maurice J. Elias, Ph.D., Principal Investigator


	Project Abstract Background and Intent Program Components Deliverables and Timelines

Abstract The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) and Rutgers University (RU) have jointly recognized the importance of research findings indicating that successful student academic performance depends to a significant degree on their social and emotional skills, their abilities to pursue their educations with a sense of purpose and the presence of safe, civil, supportive and respectful learning communities. These conditions are referred to collectively as social and emotional learning (SEL). SEL is considered to be the cornerstone of safe and civil schools. The successful performance of students can be enhanced through supportive SEL programs and services that are designed to increase coordination and decrease program and service gaps and overlap among SEL-related and other educational initiatives. To accomplish this end, the various programs and services in schools related to student conduct (e.g., substance abuse prevention, violence, vandalism and bullying prevention, school safety) and positive youth development (e.g., service learning, character education) must be optimized in their individual effectiveness and linked synergistically. Eight low-performing non-Abbott schools and two districts will be selected for participation in this initiative, because the non-Abbott school districts have fewer resources than Abbott districts, but also have students with high academic need. Additionally, non-Abbott school districts generally have fewer dedicated state resources and initiatives than Abbott districts, thereby providing a better opportunity to demonstrate the impact of the initiative on the climate of the school districts and the behavior and performance of students. The assistance of the Leadership Team of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), an internationally recognized authority on SEL, will be a key component of this project. Working relationships among participating school districts and school staff, CASEL and New Jersey experts with demonstrated experience in creating well-coordinated and effective SEL conditions in schools, will be established. Participating school districts and schools will receive assistance in selecting, developing and implementing projects designed to have a measurable impact on school violence and other at-risk student behaviors, school climate, and student academic performance.


Background and Intent The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) and Rutgers University (RU) have jointly recognized the importance of research findings indicating that successful student academic performance depends to a significant degree on their social and emotional skills, their abilities to pursue their educations with a sense of purpose and the presence of safe, civil, supportive and respectful learning communities. These conditions are referred to collectively as social and emotional learning (SEL). The successful performance of students can be enhanced through supportive SEL programs and services that are designed to increase coordination and decrease program and service gaps and overlap among SEL-related and other educational initiatives. To accomplish this end, the various programs and services in schools related to student conduct (e.g., substance abuse prevention, violence, vandalism and bullying prevention, school safety) and positive youth development (e.g., service learning, character education) must be optimized in their individual effectiveness and linked synergistically. The training, technical assistance and other supportive services and resources provided or coordinated by DSACS are intended to assist school staff in organizing the various resources, programs and services to create strong SEL conditions designed to result in reduced at-risk student behavior, the development of positive learning climates and improved academic performance among students in participating schools. Low-performing non-Abbott school districts will be selected for participation in this initiative, because the non-Abbott school districts have fewer resources than Abbott districts, but also have students with high academic need. Additionally, non-Abbott school districts generally have fewer dedicated state resources and initiatives than Abbott districts, thereby providing a better opportunity to demonstrate the impact of the initiative on the climate of the school districts and the behavior and performance of students. This initiative is designed to build local educational resources for improving SEL conditions in the participating school districts and schools. Working relationships among participating school districts and school staff, CASEL and New Jersey experts with demonstrated experience in creating well-coordinated and effective SEL conditions in schools, will be established. Participating school districts and schools will receive assistance in selecting, developing and implementing projects based on findings derived from the project assessment tool. Projects will be designed to have a measurable impact on school violence, school climate and student academic performance.

Program Components The required components for the Developing Safe and Civil Schools: A Social and Emotional Learning Initiative are described below. Overview of Major Components of the Project Establish statewide and local stakeholder and technical support groups. Assess the existence and degree of coordination of SEL and related programs, services and activities in the participating school districts and schools. Based on the assessment, identify short-term outcomes for the project period and long-term outcomes, including benchmarks for achievement beyond the project period. Plan and implement SEL and related programs, services and activities designed to have a measurable impact on school violence, school climate and student academic performance, based on the findings of the assessment. Develop mechanisms within the participating school districts and schools designed to support ongoing professional development for the establishment and maintenance of coordinated SEL programs, services and activities. Develop standardized instruments for local evaluation of school district and school progress toward the implementation of identified programs, services and activities and the achievement of identified outcomes. Based on the local evaluations, review and revise, as appropriate, long-term outcomes to be addressed after the project period. Selection of Participants Select as participants in the project, two school districts to participate in the development and implementation of a district-wide SEL model, and select eight schools from different districts to participate in the development and implementation of a school-wide SEL model. Establish Project Advisory Groups Form and convene a CASEL Metro Leadership Group, comprised of CASEL Leadership Team members from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Ohio as well as staff from RU supporting the SEL project. The CASEL Metro Leadership Group will advise the project and assist with the development of project materials. Plan and convene a statewide Stakeholders Advisory Panel comprised of representatives from statewide professional organizations to provide guidance with regard to the implementation of the initiative in the selected school districts and schools. Plan and convene the New Jersey SEL Mentoring Coalition whose members will mentor, coach and advise educators in the selected school districts and schools as they implement the initiative. Establish School Leadership Teams in participating school districts and schools to oversee the implementation of the local initiatives. Parents and community partners will be given the opportunity to provide input to the School Leadership Teams. Training Develop a training program on SEL and related approaches that will be delivered to all School Leadership Teams at a statewide event. Develop a coaching protocol for use by the New Jersey SEL Mentoring Coalition. Develop for each participating school district and school a training program designed to support school staff in establishing a framework for the implementation of the programs, services and activities identified as a result of the assessment of SEL and related programs, services and activities conducted in each participating school district and school. Subsequent to the training programs, provide ongoing follow-up consultation to each participating school district and school. Assessment and Evaluation Procedures Develop pre- and post-project procedures to assess the quality of school climate, the degree of school violence and student academic performance outcomes. Develop standardized instruments for assessing the current status of SEL and related programs, services and activities in each of the participating school districts and schools. Identify short-term outcomes for the project period and long-term outcomes, including benchmarks for achievement beyond the project period, for each of the participating school districts and schools. Review and compile findings from the assessment instrument. Develop programs, services and activities, based on the findings of the assessment, for each participating school district and school. Develop standardized instruments for evaluating the progress toward the implementation of identified programs, services and activities and the achievement of identified outcomes in each participating school district and school. Review and compile findings based on the evaluations, and revise, as appropriate, long-term outcomes, including benchmarks for achievement to be addressed after the project period, in each participating school district and school.

Deliverables and Timelines Described below are the major tasks and timelines for the completion of required activities under the Developing Safe and Civil Schools: A Social and Emotional Learning Initiative. 1. Meet with NJDOE staff within five days of the effective date of this project for the purpose of project planning. 2. Within three weeks of the effective date of the project, submit a project activity plan and project budget to the NJDOE for approval that is based on the results of the planning meeting with NJDOE staff and that will fulfill the activities and achieve the objectives of the Developing Safe and Civil Schools: A Social and Emotional Learning Initiative. 3. Submit the following project materials to the NJDOE for review and approval prior to implementation, unless otherwise noted. Selection of Participants Submit drafts of the application and the application rating process, for low-performing non-Abbott districts to request participation in the initiative, two weeks prior to distribution of the application. List of participating school districts and schools submitted by January 31, 2006. [Rationale: On January 6 and 13, meetings will occur at which the project will be presented and which will serve as vehicles for eliciting serious interest on the part of districts and schools.] Establish Project Advisory Groups Evidence of creation of the CASEL Metro Leadership Group submitted by September 30, 2005. Evidence of creation of the New Jersey SEL Mentoring Coalition submitted by October 15, 2005. [Rationale: These are sequential tasks; the CASEL group will have input into the Coalition, and the Coalition will help with identifying the Stakeholders Panel] Evidence of creation of a Statewide Stakeholders Advisory Panel submitted by October 31, 2005. Evidence of creation of a School Leadership Team in each participating school district and school, including evidence of the opportunities provided to parents and community partners to provide input to the team, submitted by January 31, 2006. Training Draft of the coaching protocol for use by the New Jersey SEL Mentoring Coalition submitted by November 30, 2005. Drafts of all training materials submitted, at a minimum, two weeks prior to the scheduled trainings. Documentation of trainings submitted no later than two weeks after trainings are completed. Assessment and Evaluation Procedures Submit drafts of the project assessment instrument, at a minimum, two weeks prior to distribution. Submit by February 15, 2006 a summary of the assessment findings for each of the participating school districts and schools. Submit by February 28, 2006 evidence that short-term outcomes for the project period and long-term outcomes, including benchmarks for achievement beyond the project period, have been developed for each of the participating school districts and schools. Submit by December 30, 2005 evidence of standardized instruments for local evaluation of participants' progress toward achievement of identified short-term outcomes for the project period and long-term outcomes, including benchmarks for achievement beyond the project period. Submit by May 31, 2006 a summary of the implementation activities to meet the short-term outcomes for the project, for each of the participating school districts and schools. Submit by July 15, 2006 documentation of the evaluation of identified short-term outcomes and the implemented programs, services and activities for each of the participating school districts and schools. [Rationale: we may look at 4^th marking period data and this will not be ready until the end of June] Submit by July 31, 2006 evidence, as appropriate, of modification to long-term outcomes, including benchmarks for achievement beyond the project period, based on the findings of the evaluation and results of the implemented programs, services and activities. Submit by August 15, 2006 a summary of activities planned for participating school districts and schools to attain the identified long-term outcomes, including benchmarks for achievement beyond the project period