Educational leaders' reports of conditions for supporting SEL implementation: The power of partnerships

Well-implemented social and emotional learning (SEL) programs are associated with positive student outcomes. Through CalHOPE, County Office of Education (COE) leaders are providing implementation support to districts and schools seeking to improve SEL delivery statewide. CalHOPE uses the SHIFT model to guide the regional implementation of systemic and equity-oriented SEL. This study assesses the conceptually driven conditions among COEs for providing implementation support, including adult well-being, workplace climate, and levers of transformation (forging partnerships within and outside of the organization, providing support through funding, training, coaching, and tools, and building capacity of leaders in the form of mindsets, knowledge, skills, and efficacy, to improve the structures and routines of SEL implementation-such as having a vision, SEL leadership team, data systems, and goals/plans). Ninety-seven COE SEL leaders participating in CalHOPE reported on their conditions and activities. COE SEL leaders reported positive well-being, workplace climate, and levers of transformation. Having a greater variety of partnerships was significantly associated with a stronger presence of all levers. Findings advance our understanding of the scaling up realities of SEL implementation in a statewide effort and highlight the value of partnerships in advancing SEL implementation.