The Nevada Department of Education recognizes that implementing effective and sustainable social emotional and academic development (SEAD) in schools must begin with the adults within the school community. It is important for educational leaders and all school staff to understand, practice and model skills related to the 5 CASEL Competencies (External Link) before integrating or explicitly teaching SEAD skills to students.

• School leaders who foster collaboration among teachers create strong school climates that ultimately lead to academic gains for students (Allensworth & Hart, 2018) (External Link).
• School leaders with strong social and emotional competencies are better able to build and maintain positive and trusting relationships-a critical component of creating a positive, supportive, and effective school climate (Patti & Tobin, 2003).
• By consistently modeling SEL, prioritizing time for reflection and planning around SEL, and intentionally working to build relationships with school staff, administrators become visible ambassadors for schoolwide SEL.
• Collaborative leadership positively impacts student learning (Hallinger & Heck, 2010).

Ongoing Training and Coaching:

• Professional Learning Menu
• Nevada Virtual Learning Center

The Nevada Learning Center is open to ALL educators. It is a free, virtual support system that provides support resources, professional development, and advising opportunities including:

• Social Emotional Learning modules (CEU/hours)
• On-going training & coaching
• Ongoing workshops and professional development upon requests. Tier 1 Training Request Form

According to the Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis (2020), reducing educational inequality is a significant concern for educators, administrators, and policymakers, as inequality is still prominent in the US educational system... This is true in the state of Nevada, as well.

The COVID 19 pandemic shined a spotlight on such inequities. This spotlight emphasizes the importance of supporting educators to become knowledgeable about equity. Equity literacy is defined as a framework for creating the knowledge and skills that enable us to combat the existence of inequity in our spheres of influence. More than cultural competence or diversity awareness, equity literacy prepares us to see even understated ways in which access and opportunity are distributed unfairly.

Modeling and practicing Adult SEL, integrating SEAD into school culture, and explicitly teaching the five competencies can decrease implicit bias and increase cultural responsiveness. As a result, SEL can help Nevada educators battle inequities in education.

In the 2018 Aspen Institute publication, Pursuing Social and Emotional Development Through a Racial Equity Lens: A Call to Action, NDE's Director for the Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment, Christy McGill, collaborated as a resource for SEAD integration through the lens of Equity.

Christy McGill - cmcgill@doe.nv.gov