Social and emotional learning (SEL) programs, which previously have shown immediate improvements in mental health, social skills, and academic achievement, continue to benefit students for months and even years after exposure, according to a 2017 meta-analysis led by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL).

Up to eighteen years later, students exposed to SEL in school continue to better than their peers on a number of indicators; positive social behaviors and attitudes, skills such as empathy and teamwork, and academics. They also have fewer conduct problems, less emotional distress, and lower drug use, among many other benefits.