Supporting Emotional Learning Act - Amends the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 to require:
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require highly qualified teachers to have preparation in the understanding, use, and development of social and emotional learning programming.
Defines "social and emotional learning" as the processes through which students acquire and effectively apply:
Requires Teacher Quality Partnership grants to be used in preparing prospective and new teachers and principals to understand, use, and develop social and emotional learning programming. (Teacher Quality Partnership grants are provided to partnerships between high-need local educational agencies [LEAs], their high-need schools, and institutions of higher education [IHEs].)
Requires centers of excellence to design teacher training programs that promote the understanding, use, and development of social and emotional learning programming. (Centers of excellence are minority-serving IHEs or partnerships between such IHEs and other IHEs that are awarded grants to ensure that current and future teachers are highly qualified.)
Requires Teach to Reach grants to be used to train general education teacher candidates to understand, use, and develop social and emotional learning programming. (Teach to Reach grants are provided to partnerships between IHEs and high-need LEAs to more effectively prepare general education teacher candidates to instruct disabled students in general education classrooms).
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4509 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4509
To require training for teachers in social and emotional learning
programming, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 29, 2014
Mrs. Davis of California (for herself and Mr. Ryan of Ohio) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education
and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require training for teachers in social and emotional learning
programming, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Emotional Learning Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) A positive, healthy school community where children
thrive and grow, both intellectually and emotionally, takes
purposeful and thoughtful planning. Students who develop
personal strengths like grit, perseverance, concern for others,
and positive academic mindsets become important contributors to
their school and community. Schools have a responsibility to
nurture the intrapersonal and interpersonal skills students
need to navigate social situations and effectively and
respectfully communicate with a diverse group of people.
(2) In the United States, we have always placed an emphasis
on developing academically rigorous curriculum, but
unfortunately have not been as deliberate about imparting
children with important social and emotional life skills. There
needs to be a balance and integration between cognitive
learning and social emotional learning.
(3) While not a new concept, the term ``social and
emotional education'' has recently become an important focal
point for many researchers, administrators, and teachers. The
term ``social and emotional learning'' means the process
through which individuals acquire and effectively apply the
knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and
manage emotions, the ability to set and achieve positive goals,
feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain
positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
(4) Research has shown that social and emotional learning
effectively boosts student academic success and fosters the
very skills that are being utilized in the workforce. Social
and emotional learning both increases protective factors for
helping children learn and thrive as well as reducing risks for
problems in both learning and behavior. These teachable skills
help children avoid risky behaviors such as aggression and
early drug and alcohol use and provide a springboard for being
a capable student, citizen, and worker.
(5) Continued research is necessary to discover best
practices and prepare educators to integrate social-emotional
skills into the curriculum and school culture. In addition, we
need to support well-designed theoretical models and
implementation supports in social and emotional learning.
Social and emotional learning should be included as a central
component of our education system. Federal law needs to include
language that prioritizes social and emotional learning for
educators.
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION RESEARCH.
Section 133(a) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20
U.S.C. 9533(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (10), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (11), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(11) carry out research initiatives regarding the impact
of social and emotional education.''.
SEC. 4. RESEARCH TOPICS OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR EDUCATION RESEARCH.
Section 133(c)(2) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20
U.S.C. 9533(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(L) Social and emotional skills and habits.''.
SEC. 5. COMPREHENSIVE CENTERS.
Section 203(f)(1)(A)(ii) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of
2002 (20 U.S.C. 9602(f)(1)(A)(ii)) is amended--
(1) in subclause (II), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(IV) imparting social and
emotional life learning (as defined in
section 200(24) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021)); and''.
SEC. 6. SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING.
(a) Definitions.--Section 200 of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1021) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (13), by inserting at the end the
following: ``, except that such term includes a requirement
that highly qualified teachers have preparation in the
understanding, use, and development of social and emotional
learning programming''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(24) Social and emotional learning.--
``(A) In general.--The term `social and emotional
learning' means the processes through which students
acquire and effectively apply the following set of
interrelated competencies:
``(i) Self-awareness and self-management
skills to achieve academic and life success.
``(ii) Social-awareness and relationship
skills to establish and maintain positive
relationships.
``(iii) Responsible decisionmaking skills
and behavior in personal, school, and community
contexts.
``(B) Self-awareness.--The term `self-awareness'
means an individual's ability to accurately recognize--
``(i) the individual's own feelings and
thoughts; and
``(ii) the influence of such feelings and
thoughts on the individual's behaviors.
``(C) Self-management.--The term `self-management'
means an individual's ability to--
``(i) regulate the individual's own
emotions, cognitions, and behaviors effectively
in different situations; and
``(ii) set and work toward personal and
academic goals.
``(D) Social awareness.--The term `social
awareness' means an individual's ability to--
``(i) take the perspective of and empathize
with individuals from diverse backgrounds and
cultures; and
``(ii) recognize family, school, and
community resources and supports.
``(E) Relationship skill.--The term `relationship
skill' means an individual's ability to establish and
maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with
individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures
through communicating clearly, listening actively,
cooperating, negotiating conflict constructively, and
seeking and offering help when needed.
``(F) Responsible decisionmaking skills and
behavior.--The term `responsible decisionmaking skills
and behavior' means an individual's ability to make
constructive and respectful choices about personal
behavior and social interactions, based on
consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns,
the realistic evaluation of consequences that stem from
actions, and the well-being of self and others.
``(25) Social and emotional learning programming.--The term
`social and emotional learning programming' refers to
instruction, activities, and best practice initiatives that--
``(A) integrate social and emotional learning with
academic achievement;
``(B) provide systematic instruction whereby social
and emotional skills are taught, modeled, practiced,
and applied so that students use them as part of their
daily behavior;
``(C) teach students to apply social and emotional
skills to prevent specific problem behaviors such as
substance use, violence, bullying, and school failure,
and to promote positive behaviors in class, school, and
community activities; and
``(D) establish safe and caring learning
environments that foster student participation,
engagement, and connection to learning and school.''.
(b) Teacher Quality Partnership Grants.--Section 202 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1022a) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking the period at the end of paragraph
(7)(D) and inserting ``; and''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(8) a description of how the eligible partnership will
prepare prospective and new teachers and principals, if
applicable, to understand, use, and develop social and
emotional learning programming.'';
(2) in subsection (e)(1)(C)--
(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (iii);
(B) by striking the period at the end of clause
(iv) and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(v) preparation in understanding, using,
and developing social and emotional learning
programming.''; and
(3) in subsection (f)(1)(C)--
(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (ii);
(B) by striking the period at the end of clause
(iii) and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(iv) preparation in understanding, using,
and developing social and emotional learning
programming.''.
(c) Augustus Hawkins Centers of Excellence.--Section 242(b)(1)(B)
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1033a(b)(1)(B)) is
amended--
(1) in clause (i), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) by striking the period at the end of clause (ii) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) promoting the understanding, use,
and development of social and emotional
learning programming.''.
(d) Teach To Reach Grants.--Section 251(c)(1)(B) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1034(c)(1)(B)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (iv); and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(vi) understanding, using, and developing
social and emotional learning programming;
and''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
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