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District selects 7 Mindsets as K–12 social-emotional learning program; early childhood retains Second Step
Summary
After district pilots and community input, Urbana SD 116 chose 7 Mindsets for K–12 SEL next school year; Second Step will remain at early childhood. District said Spanish translation availability and classroom fit drove the decision; costs will be annual and covered in part by Title I funds.
Urbana School District 116’s leadership told the board May 5 that the district will adopt 7 Mindsets as its K–12 social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum beginning in the 2025–26 school year, while continuing to use Second Step for early childhood.
The decision followed a two-year selection process. District staff said they invited vendors, conducted classroom pilots (124 staff members volunteered across programs) and held community and teacher feedback sessions. Of the products considered, the district narrowed options to 7 Mindsets and Second Step after eliminating programs that lacked high-quality Spanish translations or classroom fit. District pilots showed Second Step lacked full high‑school Spanish translation, which was decisive for a K–12 rollout.
Miss Webster, who presented the report, said the district will provide summer professional development for staff and that the program will be paid annually as a digital license; officials said Title I funds will cover some startup and licensing expenses. Webster said the district trimmed vendor “bells and whistles” to focus on core functionality but did not provide total dollar figures during the presentation.
Board members asked how the program will be delivered at the high school level and how juniors and seniors will be served. District staff said high school implementation will begin with freshmen and sophomores in Academy 9 and Academy 10 and that scheduling details will be worked out with the high-school administration. For early childhood students, the district will continue using the boxed Second Step curriculum, which staff said better fits screen-time limitations and developmental needs.
Several members pressed for a site-by-site breakdown of pilot participation; staff said they have that data and will share it with the board. The board also discussed translation availability and affirmed that Spanish-language support through grade 12 was a priority in vendor selection.
District leaders emphasized that the choice reflects an attempt to create consistency of language and skills from kindergarten through high school, and they described follow-up work including PD, classroom implementation guidance, and public links to vendor resources.
