The Untested Component: A Scoping Review of Parental Engagement in School-Based Social-Emotional Learning Programs

This scoping review documents the content and outcomes of parental engagement components within school-based social-emotional learning (SEL) programs for pre-K through 12th grade. Of 83 programs reviewed, 45 included parental engagement components and were analyzed for format, rationale, and evidence. Findings showed that although the need for parental engagement is widely recognized, implementation and effectiveness data remain limited. Common formats included standalone written materials, such as pamphlets and letters sent home (80.0%), and parent groups or workshops (62.2%). Rationales for parent engagement predominantly focused on empowering parents and increasing the generalization of children’s SEL knowledge outside of school settings. A significant gap was identified in the evidence base: only a minority of programs documented the effectiveness, acceptability, or feasibility of their parent components. To advance the field, future research should employ methodologically rigorous evaluation designs to assess the impact of parental engagement components within school-based SEL programs.