Summary
Competent Kids, Caring Communities, offered by the Ackerman Institute for the Family, provides a lesson-based approach to SEL. It offers programming for K-5 and demonstrates evidence of effectiveness at grade 4.
Strategies supporting educational equity (CASEL)
Competent Kids, Caring Communities offers strategies for understanding context and working with bias. This includes school-wide community building activities designed to develop teacher knowledge about the cultural backgrounds and perspectives of students. Additionally, the program offers training on a framework for conducting reflective conversations on issues such as bias and privilege in a supportive, non-judgemental atmosphere.
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)
Elementary (K-5)
Setting
Classroom, Schoolwide, Home, Community
Language
English
Cost
Pricing available through provider
# Lessons
35
Program Design
Tier 1 (Universal)
Technology Requirements
Unspecified
Staffing Requirements
No additional staffing required
Professional Development
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 quasi-experimental evaluation (published in 2005) supported the longitudinal effectiveness of Competent Kids, Caring Community Program for elementary school students. This evaluation included 119 students in grade 4 (37% white, 19% Asian/Asian American, 19% Hispanic/Latinx; 52-63% free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL)). This evaluation found students who participated in grade 4 showed improvements in mathematics grades, teacher-reported social and emotional behavior (i.e., attention and concentration, social and emotional competence, lack of aggression), self-reported self-efficacy, and problem solving skills compared to students in the control group (outcomes were assessed in grades 5 and 6, one and two years after pre-test respectively while controlling for outcome pre-test).
Published Studies
Refer to the provided CASEL for the most up-to-date published studies.
Linares, L. O., Rosbruch, N., Stern, M. B., Edwards, M. E., Walker, G., Abikoff, H. B., & Alvir, J. M. J. (2005). Developing cognitive‐social‐emotional competencies to enhance academic learning. Psychology in the Schools, 42(4), 405-417.