Education leaders know that students thrive when schools, families, and communities work together to fully support all aspects of learning and development. To meet this priority, educators have looked to several approaches for cultivating school systems that focus holistically on students’ skills development, relationships, environments, and overall well-being.

Two of the most common approaches — Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Whole Child Education — build on brain science and decades of research. How can education leaders use them to effectively support students’ learning and development?