- Developer organization / creator
- Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.
Age group
PreK–12.
About the program
RULER is built on the idea that emotions are not a secondary backdrop to school life but a factor that directly affects how a person learns, makes decisions, and builds relationships with others. That's why the program integrates emotional work into the school's very structure and daily practice, rather than treating it as a separate elective course.
The program aims to help children better recognize and regulate their emotions, which in turn is meant to improve classroom relationships, overall school climate and safety, reduce aggressive behavior and bullying, and create more favorable conditions for learning.
Program structure
No verified sources were found with data on the structure of sessions (number and length of lessons).
Learners reached
More than 5,000 schools (as of 2025). According to earlier data (2019), RULER had been implemented in more than 2,000 schools and reached more than 1 million students. A more precise, up-to-date figure for the number of students could not be found in open sources.
Geography
48 U.S. states and a number of other countries, including Australia, China, the United Kingdom, Italy, Mexico, and Spain. The exact total number of countries is not specified in open sources.
Program languages
RULER packages are offered in English and Spanish, while in-person training at Yale University itself is conducted only in English.
Evidence base
The program is included in the CASEL Program Guide registry with SELect status.
A 2017–2018 quasi-experiment involving 1,051 preschool (Pre-K) children in 95 classrooms showed greater gains in pre-literacy skills.
Cost
Online format (flexible 6-week training course, 2–2.5 hours per week): $6,000 for 3 participants + $1,000 for each additional participant; training at Yale (an intensive two-day in-person training on the Yale University campus): $7,500 for 3 participants + $1,500 for each additional participant; on-site in-person training (a two-day RULER training at your school/district) — individual pricing available upon request. The package includes learning materials, an online platform, coaching, and family resources. After completing the package, an annual subscription for ongoing support is available at $1,000 per school per year.
Information on pricing and further details is available on the provider's website.
This information is provided for reference only. If you notice an inaccuracy, please let us know.