This study is funded through a highly competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.
FAQs
What are the benefits of participating?
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has shown that SEL curricula such as the Second Step® program can improve social behavior and reduce problem behavior and emotional distress.
All participating schools receive the Second Step® Middle School curriculum and training free of charge.
Schools will receive feedback on school-level SEL measures that may inform practices to foster positive changes in their school environment.
What will this partnership look like?
The project team meets with district staff to share project information and discuss expectations.
District partners assist with school recruitment by distributing project information and materials (e.g., flyer) and encouraging school participation.
The project team partners with schools and teachers to implement the Second Step® program and collect data. Half of the participating schools will be selected via lottery to implement the program immediately. All schools will participate in data collection.
The project team will share feedback on district- and school-level SEL measures after the project concludes.
Which schools in my district are eligible to participate in the project?
We are seeking partnerships with 60 schools across three to four districts that serve students in grades 6–8 and who will make a commitment to participate in this study for three years (school years 2024–25, 2025–26, and 2026–27).
Half of participating schools will be selected by lottery to implement the curriculum immediately.
What will teachers be asked to do?
Teachers will be asked to complete Second Step® training, implement the Second Step® curriculum, and assist with data collection.
What will district staff be asked to do?
District staff will be asked to share relevant data with the project team to support research and grant requirements. Stipends will be available to fulfill data requests, subject to district policies.
What will school administrative staff be asked to do?
School administrative staff will be asked to select four to six teachers per grade level (6–8) to participate in the project.
School administrative staff will receive resources and tools to help them plan for, monitor, and evaluate a schoolwide implementation.
In which class period is the Second Step curriculum typically delivered?
Typically, the Second Step middle school curriculum is delivered during advisory/home-room period; however, may it be delivered in any classroom.
Will teachers receive training on how to use the online curriculum?
Yes!
Teachers will be invited to attend in-person (or virtual) professional development sessions (each approximately 2 hours) that focus on program onboarding, implementation support, platform walkthrough, and sample activities/lessons. Sessions will be scheduled prior to the start of Second Step and at a mutually agreed upon time.
Additional training resources include:
- Quick Start Guide videos (each approximately 5 minutes) to support lesson instructors with tips and recommendations for effective lesson delivery, and
- Unit Overview videos (10 minutes each) to support all staff in reinforcing the key terms, concepts, and skills throughout the day and in all areas of the school.
How long does it take to teach each Second Step lesson?
Each lesson takes approximately 25 minutes to deliver.
What data will be collected?
For academic years 2024–25, 2025–26, and 2026–27, researchers will collect the following data:
- One teacher survey at the beginning and the end of each academic year (15 minutes each; in the first year, the survey will be administered just prior to training).
- One activity log four times throughout the year (2–3 minutes each).
- One student survey at the beginning and end of each academic year (15 minutes each).
- Administrative records for student demographics, academic performance, attendance, and disciplinary referrals.
How will the findings be reported?
Data gathered from this study will be analyzed in aggregate to report findings across groups of participants. We will not identify any school, teacher, or student by name, and we will not provide contextual clues that would allow schools, administrators, teachers, or students to be identified.
How will data be kept confidential?
All data will be kept on secure servers at AIR. Data will only be used for research purposes. Access to the data will be limited to use by team members performing analyses. Identifying information will not be stored with the study data.
Who is the American Institutes for Research (AIR)?
AIR is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research both domestically and internationally. AIR has a long history of conducting similar research projects.
Are there financial incentives to participating?
The Second Step curriculum and training are being provided free of charge for three years.
If allowable according to district policy, teachers will be provided a stipend for supporting data collection.