As the holiday season brings heightened emotional experiences for students and staff, the School District of Lancaster (SDoL) is spotlighting the transformative impact of the RULER Approach to social-emotional learning (SEL). RULER, developed by Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, provides a structured framework to help individuals recognize, understand, label, express, and regulate emotions, cultivating an environment where academic and personal growth flourish.
Launched district-wide prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, RULER’s rollout was temporarily disrupted but reintroduced with a focus on equipping staff and students with tools to navigate emotional challenges. The curriculum is now embedded into daily classroom instruction across SDoL, with measurable improvements in both behavior and academics.
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Why RULER Matters: Building Emotional Intelligence
RULER is an acronym that stands for Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, and Regulate—a comprehensive approach to emotional intelligence. This evidence-based curriculum equips individuals with tools to understand their own emotions and the emotions of others, fostering empathy, communication, and self-regulation.
At the core of RULER is the belief that all emotions matter. Contrary to misconceptions, there are no “good” or “bad” emotions. Instead, every emotion—whether pleasant or unpleasant—serves a purpose. Recognizing and managing emotions helps students and staff create meaningful relationships, resolve conflicts, and approach challenges with confidence and empathy.
RULER employs four evidence-based tools to integrate emotional learning into the school day:
- The Mood Meter: Helps students identify their feelings based on levels of pleasantness and energy.
- The Charter: A collective agreement on how students and teachers want to feel and how they will treat one another. Similar to a promise to one another.
- The Meta-Moment: A reflective strategy that helps individuals pause, assess their emotions, and choose productive responses, especially during high energy and low pleasantness times.
- The Blueprint: A reflective guide to use during conversation when recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, and regulating your emotions as well as understanding others’ emotions.
Families are encouraged to create their own charters, post Mood Meters in their homes, and use the How We Feel app, which aligns directly with the RULER curriculum. These practices help parents and children build a shared language for discussing emotions and navigating challenges together.
Suggested notes
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- Decide on common language about recognizing, understanding, and labeling feelings in your home and with your family
- Decide together on ways that you promise to treat each other, especially during high energy times
- Post a Mood Meter in your home for family members to reference to describe how you’re feeling. Identifying your feelings goes a long way in being able to discuss and regulate them.
- Reference the Meta-Moment for yourself and your family so that when you’re feeling high energy, you are better able to understand and regulate your feelings.
- Download and use the How We Feel App with your families. The App is designed by Yale and connects directly to the RULER curriculum that students use in school.
Beginning the Conversation about Feelings at Home:
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- Simply asking your child or family member how they are feeling and actively listening can begin the conversation.
- When it’s hard to pinpoint an emotion, utilize the features of the mood meter to identify the level of pleasantness and energy levels.
- Ask your family and friends how they felt throughout the day. If there was a situation that was challenging or exciting, ask them how they felt during that moment and then how they felt about it after.
The Rollout of RULER in SDoL
SDoL initially adopted RULER in early 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school closures delayed its rollout. The program resumed with staff training and was gradually integrated into classroom instruction in recent years. Today, RULER is making a significant impact districtwide, particularly at Wickersham Elementary, where it has been implemented with fidelity.
Pilot Program Success at Wickersham Elementary
During the 2023-2024 school year, Wickersham’s second-grade team piloted the RULER curriculum daily. The results were striking:
- Math proficiency, as measured by the STAR assessment, jumped from 22% to 84%.
- Reading proficiency, as assessed by IRLA, increased from 50% to 77%.
Additionally, behavior incidents classified as major under the SDoL handbook showed a substantial decline. In the first 57 school days of the 2023-2024 school year, Wickersham reported 58 major incidents. During the same period in the 2024-2025 school year, this number dropped to just 20—a 65% reduction.
Principal Abby Rivera attributed this success to RULER’s ability to equip students with the language and tools needed to identify and express their emotions.
“RULER empowers our students to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts in constructive ways,” Rivera explained. “We’ve seen improved academic performance, stronger relationships, and a more positive school environment.”
Transforming Student Lives
The impact of RULER extends beyond academic success. A fifth-grade student with a history of physical aggression when frustrated shared how the program has changed his life.
“RULER has allowed me to communicate with the adults that care about me the most,” he said.
Since learning to express his emotions constructively, the student’s incidents of aggression have significantly decreased. He has also taken on a leadership role, teaching RULER strategies to younger students. His improved self-perception and reputation among peers exemplify the program’s transformative power.
Addressing Common Misconceptions
- Misconception: “There are good emotions and bad emotions.”
Reality: RULER emphasizes that all emotions are valid and provide valuable insights. - Misconception: “Emotional learning doesn’t impact academic and personal growth.”
Reality: Research shows that emotional intelligence enhances academic success, self-esteem, and overall well-being such as lowering suicide rates and drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. - Misconception: “Discussing emotions works immediately.”
Reality: Building emotional intelligence is a process that requires time and consistent practice. - Misconception: “I don’t have feelings.” / “I don’t care about that.” / “These skills can’t be developed.”
Reality: Our bodies instinctively respond to situations saying “I don’t care” or “that doesn’t bother me” are okay to say, but there is still a feeling attached to these statements (ie., unconcerned, indifferent, apathetic, etc) - Misconception: The RULER approach will work immediately
Reality: Discussing feelings is a heavy topic and it takes time for individuals, peers, partners, families, communities, etc. to embrace this idea. But, it is beneficial in the long run. - Misconception: “There is only one way to teach and talk about feelings.”
Reality: RULER is an approach, not a checklist. Talking about feelings is unique to the individual and the environment that they are in. What works in one community, one school, or one household may not work in the other.
A Path to the Future
The implementation of RULER in SDoL is proving to be a critical tool in the district’s efforts to close gaps caused by the pandemic, improve student outcomes, and foster a healthier, more empathetic school community.
As the program expands to more classrooms and grade levels, SDoL is committed to building a culture where emotional intelligence is not just a skill but a way of life. The district believes that by investing in the emotional well-being of students and staff, it is laying the foundation for a brighter, more resilient future.
For more information about RULER resources, including family guides and tools, visit the RULER Overview Page or contact your school for support.