Social Skills Action Research

Ruth D. Kirsch, Ph.D., LCSW

This article summarizes action research findings on Social Emotional Learning programs in Connecticut during 2002-03 and presented in Chicago at the 8th National School Social Work Conference, April 7, 2005. The author thanks Nancy Aleman, MA, MS (CSDE) and Susan R. Carroll, Ph.D. (Words & Numbers Research,l Inc.) for their tireless collaboration on this project.

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) distributed Federal IDEA funds to local and regional public school districts through a competitive bidding process to support the development of school-based social skills training programs. The grant proposal identified minimum requirements for application, including:

• systematic screening to identify children with social skills deficits;
• development and monitoring of specific goals for each child;
• collaboration of support services staff, administrators, regular and special education teachers;
• parent inclusion in all aspects of the program; and
• conformity with the CSDE's data collection requirements.

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