What COVID Taught Us About Students’ Social-Emotional Development—and Why California Should Rethink How It Provides Support
In this Policy for Analysis for California Education (PACE) commentary, Research Scientist II Caroline Wang challenges current postpandemic recovery approaches by demonstrating that social-emotional learning (SEL) is the foundation of academic resilience and a primary lever for addressing chronic absenteeism. The state can move from guidance to meaningful, developmentally informed actions by integrating SEL into core academic strategies and starting longitudinal monitoring. Districts can leverage the connection between attendance and SEL by implementing policies that strengthen belonging and relational support to indirectly improve both attendance and long-term academic recovery. By prioritizing the elementary-to-middle school transition where the association between SEL and achievement strengthens, California can adopt a more precise, data-driven strategy to support the whole child.