STATE BRIGHT SPOTS: SEL AND THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT - Brief 2 of 3

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Connor

The brief examines how states use the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) to align social and emotional learning (SEL) efforts across schools, families, and communities, supporting academic recovery and students’ well-being after COVID-19. It outlines ARP funding requirements for addressing learning loss and highlights CASEL’s priority area 2, including family and community partnerships. Evidence cited includes parent reports on academic and social-emotional impacts and federal research on declines in achievement and youth mental health.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Overview and Policy Context

CASEL Priority Area 2 Focus

Evidence on Academic and Mental Health Impacts

Family and Community Partnerships

ARP Provisions Supporting Engagement

Full-Service Community Schools

Findings on State Implementation

STATE BRIGHT SPOTS: SELAND THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT ALIGNING SEL EFFORTS ACROSS SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES | BRIEF 2 OF 3 Asher A. Miller, Andy Tucker, Lakeisha Steele The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) provided a $122 billion historic federal investment in K-12 education to help states and districts safely reopen schools and address students’ academic, social, and emotional learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under ARP, states and districts are required to spend 5 percent and 20 percent of funds respectively to address learning loss through evidence-based interventions that respond to the academic, social, and emotional needs of students. CASEL has recommended three priority areas for social and emotional learning (SEL) investment that can assist states and districts in optimizing ARP for student success: 1. Promote social and emotional learning (SEL) for students 2. Align SEL efforts across schools, families, and communities 3. Support adult SEL competencies and capacity building This “Bright Spots” brief highlights policy innovations around Priority Area 2—aligning SEL efforts across schools, families, and communities—through state investments in evidence-based SEL to support academic recovery and social and emotional well-being, the need for which was made abundantly clear by the COVID-19 pandemic. A brief for Priority Area 1 was published in December 2022 (Godek et al.), and an additional brief for Priority Area 3 is forthcoming. Research has shown that “[58 percent] of parents reported that their children’s academic development had been negatively impacted by the pandemic,” while 61 percent of parents reported the same when it came to their child’s social and emotional development ( Hanno et al., 2021). Parent concerns about learning loss were confirmed by recent National Assessment of Educational Progress results, which have shown historic declinesin student achievement in reading and math, as well as in civics and U.S. History ( National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2022; 2023). Additionally, a 2022 report by the Government Accountability Office found that 1.1 million teachers nationwide reported that they had at least one student who never showed up for class in the 2020–2021 school year. The U.S. Surgeon General has noted the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth (2021); for example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 51 percent rise in suicide attempts among teen girls (Yard et al., 2021) and nearly one in three parents reported their children’s mental health was worse than it was before the onset of the pandemic ( Panchal et al., 2021). According to the United States Department of Education (ED), an initial review of submitted ARP plans showed that a majority of states described efforts to expand SEL, with funds targeted to support students disproportionately impacted by the pandemic (2021). [casel.org](casel.org) © 2023 CASEL All Rights Reserved | 1 STATE BRIGHT SPOTS: SEL AND THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT Our analysis dives deeper into examples of how states are leveraging ARP funds to improve SEL for all students through collaboration among schools, families, and communities. Family and community partnerships are a key priority for high-quality SEL policies, practice, and implementation. When families feel valued as partners in the school, they can also learn how to support and build on schoolwide SEL practices in their homes (CASEL, n.d.a) . Additionally, research suggests that evidence-based SEL programs are more effective when they extend into young people’s home lives (Albright & Weissberg, 2010) . It is, in fact, so integral to effective SEL that “authentic partnerships” with families and caregivers and “aligned learning opportunities” with communities have their own place within the “CASEL wheel” framework (CASEL, n.d.c) . ARP explicitly makes the connection to family and community engagement (FCE) in

FAQs

What is the document’s main focus?

It focuses on how states are using ARP to align SEL efforts across schools, families, and communities, supporting academic recovery and social-emotional well-being.

How does ARP relate to social and emotional learning?

ARP provides federal investment in K-12 education and requires states and districts to spend portions of funds on evidence-based interventions addressing learning loss, including students’ academic, social, and emotional needs.

Why are family and community partnerships emphasized?

Family and community partnerships are emphasized because high-quality SEL policy, practice, and implementation depend on families feeling valued as partners and on evidence-based SEL programs extending into students’ home lives and community contexts.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Connor