Social and Emotional Learning in Afterschool Settings - Equity Evaluations, Recommendations, and Critiques

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Stanford

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is presented as a measurable driver of improved attendance, grades, graduation rates, adaptive behavior, and later employment, with implications for youth wellness. Afterschool or out-of-school time (OST) programs are framed as especially suited to SEL because they enable interest-based projects, emotionally engaging experiences, and close adult relationships that support youth agency. The work examines how SEL can strengthen equity while also acknowledging persistent equity concerns rooted in systemic oppression.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Rationale

Research Questions

Methods

Equity “Deep Dive”

Social and Emotional Learning in Afterschool Settings Equity Evaluations, Recommendations, and Critiques Veronica Benavides, Shakirra Meghjee, Tasha Johnson, Aasha Joshi, Christine Ortiz, and Victor Rivera Social and emotional learning (SEL) has proven to be an effective conduit to improved attendance scores, grades, and graduation rates; to adaptive behaviors and gainful employment in adulthood; and to a wide variety of other measurable factors spanning the spectrum of human adaptiveness and wellness (Aspen Institute, 2018) . Although SEL has been integrated into many schoolbased programs to support student success, afterschool or out-of-school time (OST) programs are uniquely suited to SEL development. OST programs provide the opportunity for niche, interest-based projects that are emotionally engaging for youth; they also foster close adult relationships and opportunities for youth agency and leadership, among many other features (Olson, 2018) . SEL can have an incredibly powerful impact on equity efforts. It can enhance academic, emotional, social, and career wellness—areas of youth and human development that are all directly and severely affected by inequity. That said, the application of SEL to OST is rife with equity issues and concerns. These considerations are critically important in light of the reality of systemic oppression—the context in which everything “social” exists. One cannot consider the VERONICA BENAVIDES, EdLD, is the founder of Benavides Consulting. SHAKIRRA MEGHJEE is director of growth at Equity Meets Design. TASHA JOHNSON, PhD, is senior director of the Character Development Learning Institute at YMCA of the USA. AASHA JOSHI, PhD, is director of research, analytics, and insightsat YMCA of the USA. CHRISTINE ORTIZ, EdLD, is the founder of Equity Meets Design. VICTOR RIVERA is manager of strategic priorities at YMCA of the USA. whole child or support their SEL and development without first understanding the historical context that shaped their experience and the systemic sociopolitical and circumstantial forces at play in their life. Our exploration of the intersections of SEL and equity in afterschool environments results from a partnership between the YMCA and Equity Meets Design, an organization dedicated to delivering As the YMCA works to build inclusive OST settings for youth, it has intentionally focused on equity. In partnership with Equity Meets Design, an organization dedicated to redesigning inequity and racism in the U.S. , the YMCA explored the conditions and resources needed to advance equity for youth through OST programming. equitable OST programs to youth and communities. Research Questions The first step in exploring models and promising Research shows that SEL programming in OST setpractices for equity was a comprehensive research tings leads to improved outcomes for youth across a synthesis. This article presents key findings and variety of measures (Durlak & Weissberg, 2013) . A recommendations from our research into existing comprehensive meta-analysis of afterschool programs scholarship and best practices. First, we outline the found that OST program participants demonstrated inrationale, research questions, and methodology. Then creases in academic performance, positive feelings and we present our findings on major self-perceptions, and bonding to themes in the literature. Next, an school (Durlak et al. , 2010) . equity “deep dive” explores the Being inclusive elevates the Inan effort to design inclusive intersections of SEL and equity in “Y experience” for OST settings, YMCA leaders OSTrecosmettmeinngdsat.iWeons tcooncludthe fieeldwith everyone who walks soughtensure toequnuityderistnand wexpeariysencteos through the doors. and outcomes for youth. This Rationale research synthesis examines the Communities and neighborhoods intersections of SEL and equity in across the United States are changing rapidly in many OST settings. The following rese

FAQs

Why are afterschool (OST) programs viewed as uniquely suitable for SEL development?

OST programs create opportunities for niche, interest-based projects that are emotionally engaging, and they also support close adult relationships and youth agency and leadership.

How does SEL relate to equity efforts in youth outcomes?

SEL is described as enhancing academic, emotional, social, and career wellness—areas affected by inequity—while the text also notes that applying SEL to OST involves equity issues that must be critically considered.

What research questions guide the exploration of SEL and equity in OST settings?

The document asks what effective SEL practices, policies, and principles look like in OST; what equitable practices and principles look like in OST; and in what ways SEL and equity intersect in OST settings, including a focus in the equity deep dive section.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Stanford