Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

Increasingly SEL has become a coordinating framework for how educators, families, and communities partner to promote students’ social, emotional, and academic learning.

When we refer to SEL, we are including systematic efforts to promote any or all of the following areas: social and emotional development, character development, 21st century skills, workforce readiness, employability skills, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS), mindfulness, grit, growth mindset, whole child development, moral development, positive youth development, restorative justice, behavioral skills, positive climate and culture, and caring schools and communities.