This dissertation examines how the rural place mediates Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program implementation in rural northern Michigan school districts. The lack of a clear, universally understood definition of SEL and the politicization of SEL has created variation in how educators and the public understand and perceive SEL programming. This variation in how educators and other stakeholders make sense of SEL is further complicated by the mediating effect of place and prior experience in rural educators’ sensemaking of SEL. This study interrogates how rural district leaders define, select and implement SEL programs and communicate these programs to stakeholders within their communities. The findings reveal that SEL implementation in rural districts is widely variant in definition, implementation, and in communication across stakeholder groups, which further confounds the development of a common understanding of SEL. This dissertation contributes to the literature on SEL implementation by highlighting the centrality of place in rural program implementation and leadership decision-making. Recommendations are provided for policymakers, SEL program developers, and rural district leaders, emphasizing the importance of considerations of the impact of the rural place and rural identity in SEL program implementation.
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