PreK-12 Educational Evaluation
.jpg "Katlin Brown, M.Ed. (she/her/hers) photo")
Katlin Brown, M.Ed. (she/her/hers)
Doctoral Candidate
University of Illinois at Chicago
Location: White River Ballroom B
Abstract Information: In 2022, The New York State Department of Education updated its Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Benchmarks to incorporate a commitment to equity, following the movement in educational psychology toward a transformative SEL, or SEL that functions as a lever for equity. These changes included revisions to the previous goals and indicators, as well as the addition of indicators for adult practitioners for the first time. The revision presents a critical opportunity for evaluators, who are often in a position of relative power to effect programmatic change. Using principles-focused evaluation that reframes the NYS SEL goals as evaluands, the focus of our participatory session is on repositioning evaluators with regards to SEL in service of equity, to become intentional capacity-builders and collaborators, rooted in the values, stories, and context-specific goals of the students and families with whom we work.
Relevance Statement: In 2020, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), revised its definition of social and emotional learning (SEL) and its core social and emotional competencies to incorporate a commitment to equity and acknowledgement of a diversity of experiences and identities (CASEL, 2020). This change followed the work of Jagers (2016), Jagers et al. (2018), and Jagers et al. (2019), who applied the concept of transformative resistance (Solorzano & Delgado-Bernal (2001) to SEL, calling to the forefront the importance of reshaping SEL to function in service of equity. Following this shift, states, including New York have incorporated “equity revisions” (NYSED, 2022) into their state SEL goals and standards. A critical component to the NYS updated SEL Benchmarks is the addition of indicators for adult practitioners. This is significant because SEL has traditionally focused on the student as the recipient of intervention, and the object from which outcomes are to be evaluated. Little to no evaluative attention has been paid to the roles of adults and their social and emotional competencies until now. The opportunity presented by the equity revisions is particularly salient to us as evaluators, because SEL is a key component of many of the school-based enrichment programs we evaluate. However, the associated expectations, for both programs and evaluators, are limited. The revisions to the NYS SEL Benchmarks move us to consider the evaluator’s role within transforming SEL in service of equity. Our Roundtable Session will explore using principles-focused evaluation to consider the updated NYS SEL guidelines for adults as evaluand (Patton, 2018). In alignment with the equity revisions, a principles-focused evaluative approach necessitates that goals and indicators are understood and applied contextually. Drawing from participatory evaluation practices, we will facilitate a discussion with session attendees about the potential of evaluators to build SEL capacity in service of equity by: 1. Reviewing the NYS SEL revisions and how they apply to school-based enrichment programs; 2. Reflecting on the values, stories and context-specific goals of the stakeholders with whom we work; 3. Collaboratively determining what meaningful evaluation of SEL goals, practices, and outcomes can be. References CASEL. (2020). SEL: What are the core competence areas and where are they promoted? https://casel.org/sel-framework/ Jagers, R.J. (2016). Framing social and emotional learning among African-American youth: Toward an integrity-based approach. Human Development, 59(1), 1-3. doi:10.1159/000447005 Jagers, R.J., Rivas-Drake, D., & Borowski, T. (2018). Equity & social and emotional learning: A cultural analysis. CASEL. https://casel.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/equity-and-SEL-.pdf Jagers, R.J., Rivas-Drake, D. & Williams, B. (2019). Transformative social and emotional learning (SEL): Toward SEL in service of educational equity and excellence. Educational Psychologist, 54:3, 162-184. doi:10.1080/00461520.2019.1623032 NYSED. (2022). NY Social Emotional Learning Benchmarks – Equity Revisions. https://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/documents/SELBenchmarks2022.pdf Solorzano, D.G., & Delgado-Bernal, D. (2001). Examining transformational resistance through a critical race and LatCrit theory framework: Chicana and Chicano students in an urban context." Urban education 36, no. 3 (2001): 308-342. Patton, M.Q. (2018) Principles focused evaluation: The GUIDE. New York, NY: Guilford Press.