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Responses from 25,000 students across four years highlight measurable impact of culturally responsive social-emotional learning.

NEW YORK, May 8, 2026 /PRNewswire-ÌÇÐÄVlog/ -- A new independent study released this week finds that culturally responsive social-emotional learning (SEL), which centers the diverse narratives and experiences of students within any given classroom, can produce measurable improvements in students' sense of belonging, student-teacher relationships and classroom engagement.

The study examined the implementation of We Do It 4 The Culture™ (WDIFTC)– a Hip-Hop-based and culturally focused SEL model –across middle schools in a large Pacific Northwest public school district serving approximately 44,000 students. Researchers analyzed nearly 25,000 student climate survey responses collected over four years, using a Difference-in-Differences (DiD) research design to isolate program impact.

The study, conducted by Alleyne, Matlock & Associates (AMA), found statistically significant gains across multiple indicators of student well-being, including students' reported sense of belonging, and student engagement.

The study also found stronger student-teacher relationships reported across participating schools, as well as growth in cultural awareness, compared to district schools using more traditional SEL curricula that are less culture-based. "Every teacher isn't necessarily strong at developing relationships", says one principal from a participating school. "The importance of the We Do It For the Culture curriculum is that it models for these teachers how to build effective relationships."

"I honor our PLC and collaboration time because we get to learn more about our students," said another school representative.

Schools implementing the program that prioritize high instructional fidelity experienced the largest improvements, with some schools demonstrating gains well over 20 percent above baseline across measured constructs. The study also found that the curriculum, on average, narrowed the racial gap between measured SEL outcomes. Researchers noted that the results point to the importance of implementation fidelity and integrating culture directly into SEL instruction rather than treating it as a supplemental component.

"The data reinforces something educators often see intuitively: when students see their identities, experiences, and communities reflected in learning environments, connection and engagement increase," said Jamila Sams, Founder and CEO of We Do It 4 The Cultureâ„¢. "We Do It For the Culture has the ability to support positive social and emotional outcomes for students when implemented with fidelity and nested in environments that support social and emotional learning, " adds Eric Moore, AMA's managing partner for strategy and impact.

These new findings arrive as school districts across the country seek effective student support for student academics and social and emotional needs for all students (Tier 1 Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) to address declining student engagement, belonging, and school climate challenges following the 2020 pandemic. The evaluation contributes to a growing national conversation about the role of culturally-grounded approaches to SEL, particularly in diverse, urban districts.

Additional research is underway, examining potential correlations between SEL improvements and attendance, discipline patterns, and academic outcomes. For live study results, visit:

The newly published study arrives on the heels of We Do It 4 The Culture's inaugural School Cypher Summit with young rising Rap star La Reezy at his high school alma mater in New Orleans, Louisiana.

More About We Do It 4 The Culture:

We Do It 4 The Culture™ is a culturally responsive SEL curriculum that uses Hip-Hop and storytelling in pop culture to help middle and high school students explore identity, empathy, and emotional intelligence. Serving 150+ schools across 16 states nationwide, the platform integrates multimedia, storytelling, and student voice to support belonging, engagement, and identity development while aligning with core SEL competencies. Much like a modern-day Teen Summit, WDI4TC uses cultural references young students already live with — music, media, and shared language — rather than asking them to code-switch their feelings at the classroom door.

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More About Alleyne, Matlock & Associates:

Matlock, Alleyne, & Associates is an Organizational Solutions firm specializing in the full cycle of Organizational Improvement including Communications and Marketing, Public Relations, Crisis Communication, Leadership Coaching, Strategic Planning, Research and Program Evaluation.

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Media Contact

Andre Barnes, The Elixir Media Group, 1 (347) 674-5439, [email protected],

SOURCE Alleyne, Matlock & Associates