Leveraging Social–Emotional Learning to Promote Excellence and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A District–University Partnership

Abstract

Social–emotional learning (SEL) has never been more important as the nation rebuilds after the COVID-19 pandemic and grapples with ongoing racial injustice. More work is needed to promote racial healing in our nation’s schools. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work in the midst and aftermath of the pandemic is challenging; effort, engagement, and trust-building are required to produce sustainable change that truly makes a difference for students. This column features a successful district–university partnership that focuses on SEL as a lever to promote student excellence and DEI. We reflect on the process of beginning this partnership, highlight three key principles, and offer suggestions for establishing and sustaining such partnerships. The partnership between the Mahomet-Seymour School District (MSSD) and the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (UIUC) was established in 2018. The MSSD student body is overall affluent, although it serves a small...