Cost Analysis of a School-Based Social and Emotional Learning and Literacy Intervention

Abstract

Purpose: There is limited research on the costs of social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions [Crowley, Jones, Greenberg, Feinberg & Spoth (2012). Resource Consumption of a Diffusion Model for Prevention Programs: The PROSPER Delivery System. Journal of Adolescent Health, 50 (3), 256–263]. This paper describes a comprehensive methodology for determining the costs of a successful universal, school-based SEL intervention that was implemented in nine public schools over 3 years.Methods: Resource costs were identified using the Cost–Procedure–Process–Outcome Analysis Model [Yates (1996). Analyzing Costs, Procedures, Processes, and Outcomes in Human Services. Thousand Oaks, CA, US: Sage Publications, Inc.; Yates (1999). Measuring and Improving Cost, Cost-Effectiveness, and Cost-Benefit for Substance Abuse Treatment Programs. No. NIH 99-4518, 135] and the ingredients model [Levin (Ed.) (1983). Cost-Effectiveness A Primer (Vol. 4). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage; Levin & McEwan (2001). Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: Methods and Applications. (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications]. This involved careful identification of resource use, finding the cost per unit for each resource by intervention activity, and ultimately calculating the total resource cost (resource use $\times$ cost per unit).Results: Our analysis estimated the overall cost of this 3-year SEL and literacy intervention to be $1,831,296 for nine schools. This averages to $67,825 yearly per school and $130 yearly for each student. The analysis estimated the first year of the intervention to be the costliest ($683,106) and then decreasing in Year 2 ($581,764) and Year 3 ($566,426).Conclusion: This research emphasizes the need to study the costs of SEL interventions. By providing a detailed and standardized methodology, this cost analysis can provide added support for implementing an effective social and emotional learning intervention in a school setting. Furthermore, it provides groundwork for more advanced cost analyses, such as a cost–effectiveness analysis or a benefit-cost analysis (BCA).

The PATHS curriculum for promoting social and emotional well-being among children aged 7–9 years: a cluster RCT

“…This is a critical step change for the field, which has previously relied on estimates and simulations as opposed to direct measurement of QALYs. 22,128 Work to date has established a microcosting methodology for SEL interventions 129 and this has been applied to PATHS. 33 Building on this, our microcosting demonstrated that the mean incremental cost of the programme compared with usual provision was £29.93 per child.…”

The Economic Value of Social and Emotional Learning

“…These estimates are adapted from Long, Brown, Jones, Aber and Yates (2014, Tables 3 and 4). 16 The analysis by Long et al (2014) used the ingredients method and high-quality data to calculate a whole school costs analysis of 4Rs across grades.…”

“…We estimate the incremental costs of introducing the 4Rs program into existing school activities. These estimates are adapted from Long, Brown, Jones, Aber and Yates (2014, Tables 3 and 4) 16 . The analysis by Long et al.…”

“…We appreciate communications fromLong et al (2014) to help us adapt their estimates. The main adaptation is that we assume 2 years of implementation and national prices.…”

Benefit-Cost Analysis of Prevention and Intervention Programs for Youth and Young Adults: Introduction to the Special Issue

“…Three of the six papers in this volume address SEL or noncognitive outcomes in some manner (Belfield et al, 2015;Jones et al, 2015;Long et al, 2015), a testament to the growing recognition that these outcomes are important predictors of positive development. Whereas Long and colleagues focus on the cost of an SEL intervention, Jones et al (2015) and Belfield et al (2015) directly tackle the need to expand benefits models to directly incorporate noncognitive outcomes.…”