Durable Skills overlap significantly with what many know as SEL skills — self-awareness, self-management, social efficacy, and academic efficacy. The difference is in framing: Durable Skills are explicitly positioned as skills that endure far beyond school into college, career, and life. They are not a program or an initiative; they are foundational, transferable skills that give students agency and purpose.

CASEL has been instrumental in defining SEL. Where Durable Skills differ is in application: they are embedded into the daily systems, spaces, and classrooms of a school. Instead of being taught in isolated lessons, Durable Skills are practiced every day through routines, expectations, and culture. The framework connects directly to MTSS, giving educators a structure to ensure these skills are built consistently at Tier 1, with responsive supports at Tiers 2 and 3.

MTSS is the backbone of the Durable Skills Ecosystem. Durable Skills Systems are about building responsive, adaptive tiered supports that ensure all students have the chance to develop durable skills. Durable Skills Classrooms and Spaces live at Tier 1, providing the consistent routines and culture every student needs. Together, they create a schoolwide structure where students can thrive.

SEL is often understood as a program or curriculum. Durable Skills reframes the same developmental needs in language that resonates with educators, leaders, and even the workforce sector. Employers, higher ed, and policy organizations are already talking about “durable skills” as essential for employability and life success. Using this language helps schools connect the dots between K–12 practice and lifelong outcomes.

SEL has sometimes been siloed, inconsistent, or treated as an add-on. The Durable Skills Ecosystem solves the implementation gap: it shows schools how to integrate developmental skills into their entire system — from classroom routines, to hallway culture, to Tier 3 supports. It’s not just what students learn, but how schools are designed to help them practice those skills every day.

Teachers gain practical Tier 1 tools to manage classrooms, build relationships, and engage students without defaulting to referrals. Leaders gain structures to align adults, build collective efficacy, and redesign MTSS systems to support all kids. Together, Durable Skills strengthen teacher capacity, reduce disruption, and improve student engagement.

The Durable Skills Ecosystem is not in competition with SEL — it’s a way to make SEL work better. It provides the structures and systems that help SEL lessons translate into daily practice, and ensures schools have a responsive system for students who need more. Think of it as the bridge between SEL intentions and lived student experience.

Within one school year, schools implementing the Durable Skills Ecosystem with fidelity see fewer classroom send-outs, calmer and safer public spaces, more consistent adult practice, and stronger student engagement. The ultimate outcome is students who leave school with agency, belonging, and the durable skills they need for life.