Social Emotional Learning in APS - Arlington Public Schools

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in APS is aligned to the Virginia SEL Guidance Standards and the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) Framework.

SEL in APS:

Seeks to empower students with the skills, knowledge, and understandings to make positive choices about their social-emotional engagement;
Models, teaches, and reinforces prosocial skills that align to college, career, and life readiness frameworks; and
Provides students with opportunities to learn how to engage with people who may be different than themselves in constructive and collaborative ways.
SEL modeling, instruction, and reinforcement is the responsibility of everyone in the Arlington Public Schools community.

Schools may use specific curricular resources or programs to accomplish this through morning meetings, advisory lessons, or community circles.

SEL Survey

The SEL survey is conducted one time per school year for students in grades 3-12. The survey provides insight on topics such as Growth Mindset, Self-Efficacy, Self-Management and Social Awareness.

APS SEL Spring 2025 Survey Results
(Individual student results are available in ParentVue)

SEL survey data is only accessible to teachers, administrators, and staff with a legitimate educational interest.
Results are maintained in secure files and databases accessible only to these individuals.
Parents and guardians receive an individualized report through ParentVUE regarding their student’s screener results following each assessment window.
SEL survey data is used to focus the APS SEL curriculum on specific areas of need, identify students who might benefit from additional support in developing specific skills, and monitor school and district progress.

Guidance for Parents

Opt-Out Information

Opt-out forms will be sent out to families no less than 31 days prior to the Spring administration.

Survey Topics & Sample Surveys

The SEL Survey will cover the four topics below to inform schools’ areas of focus in their SEL curriculum:

Self-Efficacy: One’s beliefs and attitudes about one’s capabilities to achieve academic success, learn instructional content, and fulfill academic tasks
Growth Mindset: Understanding that abilities and intelligence can be developed; confidence in one’s ability to adapt and persevere through challenges.
Social Awareness: The ability to empathize with and show gratitude for others, including those with different and diverse perspectives, abilities, backgrounds, and cultures.
Self-Management: Strategies for managing and expressing one’s own emotions to persevere in challenging situations; skills related to achieving personal and academic goals.

SEL Survey: Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a mental health screener? Are there questions included in the survey that ask about the mental health of my student?
No. This is not a mental health screener. The survey content is not designed for nor should be used to identify students who require mental health or trauma treatment. The purpose of the survey is to help educators understand students’ general social-emotional skills and competencies to inform curricular and programming decisions.
What does the survey measure?
The SEL survey is designed to capture students’ awareness of their social-emotional competencies. Survey questions fall under competency areas such as self-efficacy, self-management, social awareness and growth mindset. These skill areas are essential to success both in and outside of school.