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ASELA Pilot Study


1. Overview 
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MindCatcher supports the leadership and social-emotional growth of youth and educators closest to the most vulnerable communities. To meet the expanded social and emotional needs of educators, we have developed ASELA. This assessment is based on a pilot study funded by Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF) and centers the strengths of educators who work closely with these highly impacted communities.
2. Why ASELA? 
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When educators are aware of their strengths, identities, and well-being across multiple dimensions, they are not only better able to bring their whole, authentic selves to their work with youth but also are better equipped to build the supportive and cohesive learning environments that youth deserve.

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3. How can ASELA Support Your Learning Community? 
Learning communities can use ASELA results to:
  • Support the roll-out of new initiatives and approaches
  • Understand the strengths of candidates during the hiring process
  • Differentiate system-level professional development offerings
  • Create targeted programs and supports that contribute to educators staying in the profession
4. Theory of Change 
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Education leaders can use ASELA to make informed decisions that:
​1) foster a supportive learning culture; 2) promote an inclusive learning environment; and 3) create the conditions for holistic educator well-being. These actions lead to improved academic and well-being outcomes for all learners.


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5. Learnings from ASELA’s Pilot Study
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We began with an emancipatory approach to assessment development by including educator voices that serve the most vulnerable youth. Based on 467 educator survey responses and nine interviews where more than 55% of respondents identified as Black or Latinx, we learned:
  • Many educators share their cultural and racial identities with youth to build meaningful relationships with them. 
  • Many educators of Black and/or Latinx youth have a strong sense of cultural identity, racial identity, and emotional well-being. . 
  • ​Many educators have strong value systems that inform their teaching practice.
  • Educators see ASELA as a web-based survey that could be completed multiple times during the school year.
6. Partner with Us
We need committed partners to:
  1. Pilot ASELA questions
  2. Co-design the assessment platform 
  3. Fund further development of ASELA 
  4. Collaborate to craft implementation support ​

To get involved, contact us at [email protected]
Email Us
  • What We Do
  • Who We Are
  • Collective Support
  • Youth-Led Learning
    • Youth Learning Lab
    • Young People Lead
  • Research
  • Contact Us