This practice brief from EdPrepLab examines how the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) has taken a systemwide approach to supporting educator well-being through social and emotional learning (SEL). Grounded in the science of learning and development, the brief makes a clear case that educator well-being is not an individual responsibility but a shared, organizational priority. It outlines how the district has embedded SEL into everyday practices through districtwide standards, teacher leadership roles, and integrated routines such as signature practices in meetings and professional learning. The brief also highlights OUSD’s use of transformative SEL to connect adult learning with identity, agency, belonging, and equity, offering a model for how districts can strengthen educator retention, professional practice, and school communities by attending to the SEL needs of adults.

Citation

Brown, K. and Hyler, M.E. (2026). Advancing Teacher well-being Through SEL in Oakland Unifed. [Brief]. EdPrepLab.