OBJECTIVE: Yet, little is known about whether students\' SEL skills are stable over time, and if they are not, whether a student\'s initial level of SEL skills at the start of intermediate school or change in SEL skills over time is a better indicator of whether the student will be off track academically in 9th grade. This study begins to investigate this issue.
METHODS: We use four years of longitudinal SEL data from students in a large urban district with a sample size of ˜3,000 students per timepoint.
METHODS: We use several years of longitudinal SEL data to fit growth models for three constructs shown to be related to successfully transitioning to secondary school. In so doing, we examine whether a student\'s mean SEL score in 6th grade (status) or growth between 6th and 8th grade is more predictive of being off track academically in 9th grade.
RESULTS: Results indicate that, while status is more frequently significant, growth for self-management is also predictive above and beyond status on that construct.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that understanding how a student develops social-emotionally can improve identification of students not on track to succeed in high school.