Michelle C. Laubin, Senior Partner at Berchem Moses PC and Typhanie Jackson, Director of Pupil Services and Special Education for New Haven Public Schools, presented a workshop titled, “Race: It Does Matter … Practical Strategies to Improve School Climate Through Social Emotional Learning” at the 2016 CABE/CAPSS Convention held on November 18-19 at the Mystic Marriott in Groton, Connecticut. This interactive workshop examined the legal history of racial integration of our schools from Brown v. Board of Education to Sheff v. O’Neill, moving from there to answer the question “What’s next?” In an increasingly diverse setting, prevailing wisdom holds that teachers, staff and students need to be equipped with so-called “cultural competencies” to help each individual in the equation approach others with empathy and understanding. This workshop explored “cultural competencies” and how we go about developing them in students and adults. Utilizing a social emotional learning (SEL) framework, schools can improve student outcomes while being culturally responsive.