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The ESSA Tier 2 Study is In! Download the official research supporting Find Your Grind

Study Overview

• Students who used the Find Your Grind program self-rated their social-emotional skills higher than those who did not, according to a statistical analysis. 
• The analysis, which adjusted for initial self-ratings, revealed a model-predicted mean difference with a standardized effect size of 0.50, indicating a medium-sized positive effect of the program.
• This translates to an approximate 19 percentile point improvement on the social-emotional composite score for Find Your Grind students.

What This Shows

• Self-Confidence & Decision-Making: Students improved by 19-17 percentile points, showing they feel more secure about their future.
• Career Awareness & Teacher-Rated SEL Growth: Improvements of 15-14 percentile points, confirming strong career readiness and social-emotional development.
• Student Engagement: The highest gain at 20 percentile points, proving that students actively engage with Find Your Grind.

How Students Engaged With Find Your Grind

The study found a significant positive correlation between student engagement in the Find Your Grind program and improvements in social-emotional learning (SEL) outcomes. Higher completion rates of Find Your Grind activities were associated with greater positive changes in students’ self-ratings on the DESSA scales, suggesting that active participation in the program supports SEL development. Students on average completed 73% of the Find Your Grind curriculum, with middle school students completing slightly more activities than high school students, although the differences were minimal.



Moreover, students who completed over 60% of the program activities exhibited more substantial gains in their SEL competencies, suggesting that the program may be particularly beneficial for students requiring additional support.