States vary widely in how they address students’ social and emotional learning, which includes teaching about problem-solving, self-control, communication, and teamwork, according to a new report from the Chicago-based Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, or CASEL.
In the first year of a two-year study, CASEL analyzed social-learning standards from preschool through 12th grade in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and six U.S. territories. It found 48 states require social education in preschool, but Illinois is the only state with comprehensive social-and-emotional learning standards for the entire K-12 spectrum.