The Illinois SEL Standards were developed in response to concerns about children’s mental health. In 2003, the Illinois Legislature passed the Children’s Mental Health Act, directing the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to develop SEL standards as part of statewide learning expectations. ISBE convened a diverse standards-writing committee of educators, mental health professionals, child development experts, and representatives from CASEL. The standards were adopted in 2005 and required for all Illinois school districts. They included three learning goals, 10 standards, and age-appropriate benchmarks spanning early elementary through high school, with performance descriptors to guide educators in supporting students’ social and emotional development.
Effective Nov. 28, 2018,
Public Act 100-1139 established the Emotional Intelligence and Social and Emotional Learning (EISEL) Task Force to develop curriculum, assessment guidance, and best practices. The task force recommended updating the SEL Standards, which had not been revised since 2005.
The 2024–2027
ISBE Strategic Plan
includes an objective to update the Illinois SEL Standards, in consultation with key partners, by the end of fiscal year 2026. In fall 2024, ISBE launched the revision process to clarify what students should know and be able to do in regard to SEL and to support intentional, developmentally appropriate instruction.
The
SEL Standards Revision Committee included representatives from CASEL, professional organizations, educators, school leaders, and policy and advocacy groups. The committee reviewed research and best practices; established guiding principles; aligned the standards with CASEL’s five competencies; drafted and revised goals, standards, indicators, and benchmarks; and gathered field feedback through two public webinars. The revised framework is grounded in equity, cultural responsiveness, universal design, trauma-informed and evidence-based practices, whole child development, family and community engagement, age appropriateness, and capacity building.
The original standards focused on three goals addressing self-management, social awareness and relationships, and responsible decision-making. The committee adopted CASEL’s five core competencies — self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making — as the foundation for the revised standards. These five competencies now define the Illinois SEL Standards and emphasize flexible, context-responsive approaches that honor students’ diverse strengths and needs.
