SPARK: Speaking to the Potential, Ability, & Resilience in Every Kid
Category: Social Emotional Learning
Summary
The SPARK Mentoring Programs provide evidence-based K-12th grade programs and professional development opportunities that increase emotional well-being, resilience, and emotional regulation while developing executive functioning skills needed to navigate life with greater ease.
Strategies supporting educational equity (CASEL)
SPARK Mentoring Curriculum includes strategies for customizing for context. This includes specific guidance for reflecting on the lived experience of students and adjusting instruction as deemed appropriate. Additionally, there are opportunities for students to research, create, and apply new ideas and solutions to world issues of personal interest.
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), Middle (6-8), High School (9-12)
Setting
Classroom, Schoolwide, Home, Community
Language
English
Cost
For additional information please contact the provider
# Lessons
Varies by grade level; For additional information please contact the provider
Program Design
Tier 1 (Universal)
Technology Requirements
None Required
Staffing Requirements
For additional information please contact the provider
Professional Development
Onsite In-Person, 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Results from a randomized controlled trial evaluation conducted in the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 academic years (unpublished report written in 2020) supported the effectiveness of SPARK Teen Program for high school students. The study included 201 students in grades 9 through 12 in an urban school district in the U.S. Southeast region (58% Hispanic/Latinx; 27% Black/African American, 12% white; 92% of participating students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL)). This evaluation found that students receiving instruction using SPARK Teen Program showed significantly greater growth in self-efficacy, more specifically in self-reported problem-solving skills and mastery relatedness skills, compared to control students (outcomes reported approximately 13 weeks after baseline, while controlling for outcome pretest). Additionally, this evaluation found that students receiving instruction using the SPARK Teen Program showed significantly greater growth in self-reported communication skills, relatedness resiliency skills, optimism, and self-regulation (including impulsive behaviors and emotional understanding) compared to control students over this same time.
Results from a randomized controlled trial evaluation conducted in the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 academic years (published in 2020) supported the effectiveness of SPARK Pre-teen for middle school students. This evaluation included 357 grade 6 through 8 students in a suburban school district in the U.S. Southeast region (40% white, 32% Hispanic/Latinx, 24% Black/African American, 13% multi-racial; 62% of student body eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL) at participating schools). This evaluation found that students receiving instruction using the SPARK Pre-teen program showed significantly greater growth in self-efficacy, more specifically in self-reported decision-making skills, problem solving, and mastery skills compared to control students (outcomes reported approximately 13 weeks after baseline, while controlling for outcome pretest). Additionally, this evaluation found that students receiving instruction using the SPARK Pre-teen Program showed significantly greater growth in self-reported communication skills, relatedness resiliency skills, optimism, and self-regulation (including impulsive behaviors and emotional understanding) compared to control students over this same time.
Published Studies
Refer to the provided CASEL for the most up-to-date published studies.
Green, A. L., Ferrante, S., Boaz, T. L., Kutash, K., & Wheeldon‐Reece, B. (2021). Social and emotional learning during early adolescence: Effectiveness of a classroom‐based SEL program for middle school students. Psychology in the Schools, 58(6), 1056-1069.
Ferrante, S., Boaz, T.L., Kutash, K., Green, A.L., and Wheeldon-Reece, B. (2020). Effects of the Speaking to the Potential, Ability, and Resilience Inside Every Kid (SPARK) Curriculum. Manuscript submitted for publication