Second Step® Elementary

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Safe, Supported, and Ready to Learn

Help Kids Build the Skills They Need to Succeed

Children benefit from social-emotional learning (SEL) at any time, but today it’s especially important to help them develop the skills they need to connect and thrive. Second Step® Elementary is a leading research-based SEL curriculum for students in Kindergarten–Grade 5. The program offers two options: the web-based [Second Step® Elementary digital program](https://www.secondstep.org/elementary-school-curriculum/digital-program) and print-based [Second Step® Elementary classroom kits](https://www.secondstep.org/elementary-school-curriculum/classroom-kits).


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Our Second Step Elementary digital program is flexible, web-based, and uses up-to-date research to help teachers engage children with age-appropriate, culturally relevant content.  

[Learn More](/elementary-school-curriculum/digital-program)

Second Step® Elementary Digital Program      

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Our Second Step Elementary classroom kits offer an evidence-based approach to SEL with age-appropriate lessons that are easy to teach and fun to learn, plus online resources and training for educators.  

[Learn More](/elementary-school-curriculum/classroom-kits) 

Second Step® Elementary Classroom Kits

Your School, Your Choice

When it comes to instructional materials, schools and districts have a variety of technology environments and preferences. With the addition of our digital program, we’re pleased to give you a new option for implementing SEL in your school and hope to serve as many classrooms as possible.

What Works for You?

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Teacher Access 

The __digital program__ provides fully digital delivery of lessons and online access to resources.


__Classroom kits__ provide physical teaching materials, along with access to media and resources online.

Teacher Access

How easy is it for your teachers to get online, or to obtain and maintain physical materials? 


Plans to Expand 

A single schoolwide __digital program__ license provides all-staff access. For schools transitioning to a schoolwide implementation, there’s an opportunity to purchase one digital program license instead of providing each classroom with physical materials.


Expanding a __classroom kit__ implementation for schoolwide or districtwide implementation requires the purchase of additional kits.

Are you considering moving from a counselor-led implementation to a more schoolwide, teacher-led implementation, or to a more districtwide implementation?


Evidence and Research

The __digital program__ is research-based, field-tested, and incorporates evidence-based components. But, because it’s new to the market as of 2021, no randomized control trials have been undertaken to establish evidence-based outcomes.  

[Read this blog](https://www.cfchildren.org/blog/2022/12/research-and-evidence-the-second-step-difference/) to learn more about the critical role of evidence and research in our programs’ development and continuous improvement.

Elementary __classroom kits__ are research- and evidence-based, which means they've been developed on the foundation of current research findings and best practices in the fields of social-emotional learning, education, and psychology, and that external studies have shown the curriculum has a positive effect on student outcomes.  

[Visit our research page](/research) to learn more.

Does your funding source require selection of an evidence-based program? 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

Lessons and media included in the __digital program__ were created recently and published in 2021. The program was built in close consultation with culturally responsive teaching advisors. Testing, feedback, and continued advisement will allow for cultural relevance updates to the program over time.   

__Classroom kits__ are print-based, with lesson cards and videos published and updated between 2011 and 2020. As such, the print-based program’s representations are not as recent as those in the digital program. 

Both programs build a foundation for a positive, inclusive culture through developing social-emotional competencies, which include perspective-taking, empathy, processing emotions, understanding and resolving conflicts, and building positive relationships. 

Materials in Additional Languages

In the __digital program,__ all lesson materials for all grades—including a Family Letter, Home Links, and weekly family communications—are available in Spanish. All family communications are also included in Arabic, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

__Classroom kits__ include Spanish-language lesson scripts for all lessons in all grades, Spanish-language Family Letters, and online songs and videos for Grades K–3. Spanish-language lesson DVDs, music CDs, and posters are also available for purchase.

Are you looking for additional language supports?

Continuous Improvement 

The __digital program__ reflects up-to-date research and content, and can be continuously improved based on feedback and new learnings from research in the field. It also provides visibility to leaders on lesson progress, offering the potential for increased effectiveness.

__Classroom kits__ are a one-time purchase. Given the physical nature of the product, it is not continuously improved upon.

The digital program and classroom kits are inherently different in the ways content can be updated.


Cost 

The __digital program__ is subscription-based and purchased as a one-, three-, or five-year license. A schoolwide license serves all staff at a school and provides access to Second Step Elementary, as well as Second Step® Middle School, for any combination of Grades K–8. Detailed pricing information is listed on the [digital program page](/elementary-school-curriculum/digital-program) and on this [price list](https://cfccdn.blob.core.windows.net/static/pdf/purchasing-options/second-step-order-form.pdf). If you’re purchasing for a district, there's discounted pricing for multisite purchases. Please [contact us](http://go.secondstep.org/WC-2020-EP-Requests_WC-2020-EP-Landing-Page.html) for a district consultation.

__Classroom kits__ are purchased classroom by classroom and are a one-time purchase of physical materials. Detailed pricing information is listed on the [classroom kits page](/elementary-school-curriculum/classroom-kits) and on this [price list](https://cfccdn.blob.core.windows.net/static/pdf/purchasing-options/second-step-order-form.pdf).

Your cost for each option will vary based on your school or district’s size and needs. 


Not sure which Second Step Elementary option works best for your school or district? Here’s more to consider as you make your choice.  

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[Second Step® Elementary<br />Digital Program](/elementary-school-curriculum/digital-program)

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[Second Step® Elementary<br />Classroom Kits](/elementary-school-curriculum/classroom-kits)