Flourish, offered by the University of Virginia Compassionate Schools Project, provides lesson-based and teaching practices approaches to SEL. Flourish offers programming for grades K-5 and a CASEL-approved evaluation demonstrates effectiveness across the same grade span. The program incorporates mindfulness and physical activity into competency-focused SEL lessons. Student-facing curriculum materials are available in Spanish.
Strategies supporting educational equity
Flourish features strategies for youth action projects and customizing for context. This includes the “Community Compassion Project” unit, which guides students to reflect on the needs of their community and design and enact a project to address those needs. The program also includes resources focused on adapting lessons and instructional practices to serve student needs, like the “Emotional Safety in Partner Work” training.
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- SEL lessons
- Instructional practices
- Relationship building
- Positive classroom management
- SEL generalization
- Shared agreements
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- Systemic support for SEL
- Adult SEL
- Student supports
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- Service-learning
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- Family Intervention Component
- Activities and Resources for Home
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- Onsite in-person training
- Virtual training
- Offsite training
- Train the trainer model
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- Administrator support
- Coaching
- Technical assistance
- Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
- Online resource library
- Self-report tools for monitoring implementation
- Observational tools
- Tools for measuring student success
Evidence of effectiveness
Results from a randomized controlled trial conducted in the 2016-2020 school years (unpublished report written in 2023) supported the effectiveness of Flourish for public school students. This evaluation included 3,342 students who were in K-5th grade attending urban and suburban schools in the U.S. Southeast region (39% white, 38% Black/African American, 14% Hispanic/Latino; 72% free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL)). The study found that students who participated in the program had significant improvements in self-efficacy and focus compared to students in the control group (outcomes reported 80 weeks after baseline) while controlling for outcome pretest, FRPL, proportion white, and proportion Hispanic.
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Evidence shown in grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5School characteristics -
- Urban
- Suburban
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- Southeast
Student characteristics - Black / African American
- Hispanic / Latinx
- White
Percentage Low Income - Eligible for FRPL: 72%
Study design type - RCT
Greater than 350 students included in study design type - Yes
Multiple school districts included at study design type - No
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- Improved academic performance
- Reduced emotional distress
- Improved identity development and agency
- Reduced problem behaviors
- Improved school climate
- Improved school connectedness
- Improved social behaviors
- Improved teaching practices
- Improved other SEL skills and attitudes
How does Flourish support SEL implementation across multiple settings?
“Flourish: The Compassionate Schools Project curriculum provides full-year Tier 1 SEL, integrating mindfulness, movement, and other health skills. Teachers receive training in the curriculum, professional development focused on their own well-being, and resources to support integration of Flourish practices across settings (including newsletters, take-home practices, and small group sessions).”
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