The CharacterStrong Blog

From Implementation to Impact: CharacterStrong in Austin ISD

Written by CharacterStrong | Oct 20, 2025 9:14:12 PM

Supporting student behavior and social-emotional learning in a large urban district like Austin ISD, with 116 campuses and over 73,000 students, can be a complex challenge. Multiple district-wide initiatives often stretched staff capacity, leaving little room for consistent implementation of new programs. Before CharacterStrong, campuses were navigating various interventions without a unifying framework, making it difficult to ensure consistency or measure impact.

In our latest episode of The CharacterStrong Podcast, host John Norlin sits down with Krystal Colhoff - Director of MTSS at Austin ISD, to discuss how the district successfully implemented social-emotional learning and student behavior support. Listen below to hear their conversation.

After adopting CharacterStrong with a focus on empowering campus-level implementers, the results have been encouraging:

  • Campuses leading implementation efforts, highlighting innovative strategies, and sharing successes with peers

  • A tiered coaching model allowing flexibility while maintaining fidelity to interventions

  • Data dashboards helping staff identify implementation gaps and streamline support for teachers and students

  • Development of CharacterStrong Champions on each campus to guide, problem-solve, and sustain the work

One leader reflected on the impact: We have a high school with over 3,000 students that rolled out CharacterStrong early, connecting lessons directly with families through newsletters. Students are singing the songs, engaging in lessons, and even holding staff accountable when lessons are missed. It shows that these skills matter for all students, no matter their background.”

With over 5,300 teacher accounts onboarded and more than 6,000 lessons delivered so far this year, CharacterStrong is helping Austin ISD build a foundation for consistent, evidence-based behavior and social-emotional learning. By leveraging campus voices, providing coaching support, and using data to guide next steps, the district is creating an environment where educators feel supported, and students can thrive.


Across Austin ISD, staff are noticing students demonstrating stronger problem-solving skills, better emotional regulation, and improved engagement both in the classroom and at home. By embedding social-emotional learning alongside academics and allowing campuses to shape the work, the district is fostering a culture of collaboration, resilience, and growth, helping every student feel seen, supported, and equipped for success.

Want to see how CharacterStrong can support your district? Here’s how to get started: