Summary
CharacterStrong’s Secondary Curriculum, offered by CharacterStrong, provides a lesson-based approach to SEL for grades 6-12. A CASEL-approved evaluation demonstrates evidence of effectiveness in grades 6-8. The program uses an online platform with an extensive teacher-facing activity library and focuses on building SEL competencies through lessons, projects, generalization, and educator modeling. Student- and family-facing content is available in Spanish.
Strategies supporting educational equity (CASEL)
CharacterStrong’s Secondary Curriculum features strategies for youth action projects and customizing for context. This includes group projects designed to empower students to address topics they deem relevant and guidance for tailoring strategies to the lived experiences of students being served.
Implementation
Below are key implementation details for this program. These specifications help determine if the program is a good fit for your school or organization.
Grade(s)
Middle (6-8), High School (9-12)
Setting
Classroom, Schoolwide, Home
Language
English, Spanish
Cost
$3,999
# Lessons
35
Program Design
Tier 1 (Universal)
Technology Requirements
CharacterStrong curriculum is digitally delivered and teachers will need a computer and access to the web.
Staffing Requirements
No additional staffing required
Professional Development
$1999 (Training & Coaching), On-site, Virtual, Offsite, Train the Trainer
Outcomes
Improved SEL skills and attitudes
Reduced Emotional Distress
Improved Identity Development/ Agency
Improved Academic Performance
Reduced Problem Behavior
Improved School Climate
Improved School Connectedness
Improved Prosocial Behavior
Improved Teaching Practices
Improved SEL Skills and Attitude
Evidence of Effectiveness
Results from a randomized controlled trial conducted in the 2022-23 school year (unpublished report written in 2023) supported the effectiveness of CharacterStrong’s Secondary Curriculum for public school students. This evaluation included 726 students in grades 6-8 attending rural, suburban and urban public middle schools in the U.S. Midwest, Northeast and West Coast regions (54% white, 23% Hispanic/Latinx, 20% Asian/Asian American; 38.49% free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL)). The study found that students who participated in the program had significantly lower levels of teacher-reported disruptive behavior compared to students in the control group (outcomes reported 20 weeks after baseline) while controlling for outcome pretest, student grade, student race, and student sex as well as teacher race, teacher sex, and teacher tenure.
Academic
Promising
Published Studies
Merle, J.L., Larson, M. F., & Cook, C.R. (2023). Evaluation of CharacterStrong’s Secondary Social-Emotional and Character Education Curriculum: Effects on Student-Reported and Teacher-Reported Outcomes.
Merle, J., Larson, M., & Cook. C.R. (2023). A Multi-Site Cluster Randomized Trial of CharacterStrong’s Secondary Curriculum in Middle Schools. Under Review with School Mental Health.