As much as two-thirds of the variance in student achievement has been attributed to out-of-school factors such as health, neighborhood safety, and family instability. Studies have demonstrated that systemic and coordinated effort to promote social-emotional development can help address these barriers to learning. The Gateway Cities education vision called for establishing such a system. Our research has noted progress to date providing tiered social-emotional supports and areas where Gateway City districts are still struggling.
At the State House last week, the Center for Optimized Student Support at Boston College presented a blueprint for delivering social-emotional support and intervention. The Center’s new initiative, InterconnectED, will focus on helping educators and education policymakers develop this infrastructure. According to the center’s research, getting social-emotional support right can close the achievement gap between low-income students and their peers and provide a 3:1 return on investment .