Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Education
 
Board
State Board of Education
 
Guidance Document Change: The 2020 Virginia General Assembly passed House Bill 753 directing the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to develop guidance standards for social emotional learning (SEL) for all public students in grades Kindergarten through 12 in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Social Emotional Learning Standards were developed in collaboration with an SEL Advisory Committee, composed of educators, community leaders, agency personnel, and parents. The Virginia SEL Standards are aligned with the Profile of a Virginia Graduate and centered in equity. This intentional focus allows the Standards to explicitly teach the skills needed to be “life ready” and to create more equitable learning environments.
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5/25/21  2:27 pm
Commenter: School Psychologist

Supporting this
 

By introducing SEL into the curriculum, by no means does this take away from academic expectations, rigor, or achievement trajectory. In fact, I would argue that academics are enhanced by allowing students to develop socially and emotionally. This is an inevitable part of a child's development and though some argue schools should primarily be focused on academics, not addressing students from the whole child approach is doing a disservice. As I reflect throughout my academic career, I am appreciative of the opportunities I have been exposed to and would have greatly benefited from something like this being introduced at an early age. Family morals and societal/educational experiences are two separate entities, no one less important than the other. We are faced with one option, to move forward. 

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