K-12 Education

National Commission Tacoma Meeting Key Takeaways

December 7, 2017  • National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development

The November 2017 convening of the National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development, and the accompanying school visits in Tacoma, Washington yielded several insights into the ways in which a clear vision, intentional relationships, and supportive environments play a critical role in students’ social, emotional, and academic development. Some themes, such as the need for a shared language and the need for schools and communities to work in partnership, further confirmed takeaways from previous Commission meetings; other points, including the role of data for continuous improvement, were new areas of consideration for the Commission’s final recommendations.

The Commission’s key takeaways include:

  • A community-wide approach to supporting social, emotional, and academic development requires clear vision, a common language, and strong leadership.
  • Relationships are at the core of supporting students’ social, emotional, and academic development, and this holds true at both the individual level and community level.
  • Social, emotional, and academic development is about fixing the environment, not the student.
  • Prioritizing a communitywide approach to supporting students’ social, emotional, and academic development requires identifying and understanding the data and metrics that inform the conditions of continuous improvement.
  • Social, emotional, and academic development encompasses a range of approaches.

To learn more read the full document on the key takeaways.