It is the responsibility of the school system to teach children and produce individuals that will become productive members of society. This includes teaching students academics, but it also includes teaching children important “life skills” like how to manage their emotions, interact with others, and support both themselves and others. These characteristics are integral to SEL and are supported by the standards included in the VDOE SEL document.

In addition to the school’s moral imperative to impart life skills to students, SEL is evidence-based. Research has produced evidence that SEL increases prosocial behaviors, academic performance, and the likelihood of graduating high school and attending college. It has also shown that it reduces conduct problems, internalizing difficulties (such as depressed or anxious moods), and the likelihood of emotional distress or drug use.

I support the Virginia SEL Standards and believe that they are of the utmost importance. Although I do have questions about the funding for integrating these standards, the support that VDOE will give teachers (who carry increasingly heavy loads in order to support their student), and how schools will be held accountable for teaching SEL, I believe that the skills that these standards support will help to develop well-rounded, thoughtful, and kind individuals.