Navigating Social and Emotional Learning Evidence in a Polarized Socio-Political Environment: A Qualitative Pilot Study of SEL Stakeholders

Despite the robust research evidence for social and emotional learning (SEL) in supporting students with developing skills critical to their success in school and life, an increasingly polarized socio-political climate is diminishing the public's confidence in the research evidence and, in some cases, producing misinformation – or false evidence- as well as disinformation – or intentionally false evidence. Both have the potential to contribute to exclusionary policies and inequitable social and emotional experiences for students in the United States. This manuscript explores whether and how SEL stakeholders (n=25) understand, access, and use evidence to inform SEL-related decisions across professions, including K-12 educators, school administrators, and district personnel as well as policymakers, families, and SEL researchers and advocates. Results from this pilot study suggest that SEL research evidence currently lacks accessibility for policy makers, educational leaders, and practitioners, and that the evidence that is available is limited in its translation to use in practice. How stakeholders identify and use SEL evidence is diverse, and most stakeholders access SEL evidence via news and education media. Opportunities for improving SEL evidence understanding, access, and use in the current U. S. socio-political climate are discussed.