As Education Week recently reported, a new study by the Center for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education at Columbia University's Teachers College, "The Economic Value of Social and Emotional Learning," found that high-quality, research-validated social and emotional learning programs bring a return of $11 for every $1 invested.
As Education Week recently reported, a new study by the Center for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education at Columbia University's Teachers College, "The Economic Value of Social and Emotional Learning," found that high-quality, research-validated social and emotional learning programs bring a return of $11 for every $1 invested.
For the study researchers chose six of the nation's most prominent, scientifically validated SEL programs, including Morningside Center's 4Rs Program (Reading, Writing, Respect & Resolution). They analyzed the costs of each program, then examined the long-term benefits of each program, based on research findings for that program. (For instance, The 4Rs has been found to reduce aggression, improve social competence, reduce ADHD and depression symptoms, and improve academic performance, among other things.) They used cost-benefit analysis to calculate the ultimate value of these improved outcomes.
The results suggest that fostering young people's social and emotional learning is an incredibly powerful investment in the future.