233 Social emotional learning curriculum impacts on externalizing behaviors in elementary school: Effects moderation by race, ethnicity, and gender

Methods/Study Population: We partnered with a local urban public school district to access school records for K5-5th grade students ( N = 16, 528) in the district during the 2023–2024 school year. Students were matched to teachers and their SELC instruction records. Number of SELC lessons received over the school year was evaluated a predictor of discipline referrals and suspensions. Mixed effects zero-inflated negative binomial regression controlled for classroom- and school-level variation and the left-shifted distribution of disciplinary outcomes. Moderators were student race/ethnicity and gender. Covariates included age, economic disadvantage, special education status, days absent, and school characteristics including number of discipline referrals and suspensions per student and percent SELC completion. Results/Anticipated Results: We found that the number of SELC lessons predicted significantly fewer referrals for chronic disruption (β = −0.21, p < 0.001). Referrals for disorderly conduct, fighting, and chronic disruption were most common. On average per student, there were 1.44 (SD 1.49) referrals, 0.28 (SD 0.53) suspensions, and students received 11 (SD 9) of 20 total SELC lessons over the school year. However, SELC was 90% less effective for African American students, 80% less effective for Hispanic students, and not at all effective for Asian students compared to non-Hispanic White students in reducing chronic disruption referrals. SELC was also more effective for female students compared to male students for reducing chronic disruption referrals and not effective for reducing fighting referrals or suspensions among male students. Discussion/Significance of Impact: SELC had an inequitable impact on reducing chronic disruption referrals by race, ethnicity, and gender. The groups impacted tended to have fewer chronic disruption referrals compared to non-Hispanic White students, which may have contributed to this finding. However, the degree of difference suggests a need to improve equitable impacts of SELC.