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Abstract
Although school violence has decreased over the past two decades there is need for a targeted approach to improve social competence in children. Second Step is a social-emotional curriculum that has effectively decreased school violence and promoted a positive school environment. A ten-month longitudinal evaluation was conducted in a multi-ethnic suburban school district with students in enrolled in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, second, third and fourth grades. Teacher ratings on Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition revealed significant improvements on measures on the Aggression, Social, and Withdrawal scales, and significant increase in social-emotional knowledge. Findings support the continued validation of the Second Step program with a multiethnic sample and the effects of program sustained after post-intervention.