Social Emotional Learning for Families Act of 2021 or the SELF Act of 2021
This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to local educational agencies to develop, implement, and evaluate teacher and school leader training programs on family engagement.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2253 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2253
To establish a competitive grant program to support the development,
implementation, and evaluation of successful teacher and school leader
training programs on family engagement that will increase the capacity
of teachers and school leaders to work with families to develop and
support the social and emotional skills, habits, and mindsets of
children.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 26, 2021
Mr. Ryan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a competitive grant program to support the development,
implementation, and evaluation of successful teacher and school leader
training programs on family engagement that will increase the capacity
of teachers and school leaders to work with families to develop and
support the social and emotional skills, habits, and mindsets of
children.
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 ``Social Emotional Learning for
Families Act of 2021'' or the ``SELF Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--From amounts appropriated to carry out this
section, the Secretary of Education shall award grants, on a
competitive basis, to local educational agencies to develop, implement,
and evaluate teacher and school leader training programs on family
engagement. Local educational agencies may work in partnership with the
entities described in subsection (e)(3) to carry out such programs. The
objective of such programs will be to increase the capacity of teacher
and school leaders to work with families to develop and support the
social and emotional skills, habits, and mindsets of children.
(b) Grant Awards.--
(1) Maximum grant amount.--The total amount of each grant
awarded under this section may not exceed $1,200,000.
(2) Grant period.--A grant awarded under this section shall
be for a period of 5 years, and may be renewed.
(3) Number of grants.--The Secretary shall award not more
than 100 grants under this section.
(c) Applications.--An application submitted by a local educational
agency for a grant under this section shall demonstrate--
(1) the ability to provide laboratory and instructional
space for proposed programming;
(2) a commitment to the development, implementation, and
evaluation of successful teacher and school leader training
programs on family engagement that will increase the capacity
of teachers and school leaders to work with families to develop
and support the social and emotional skills, habits, and
mindsets of children;
(3) a plan to ensure that the proposed programs will serve
diverse groups, such as underrepresented or economically
disadvantaged families; and
(4) a long-term commitment to the proposed programs to be
carried out with the grant, including a plan to continue the
actions described in paragraphs (1) through (3) for a period of
not less than 5 years.
(d) Selection.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall--
(1) give priority to high-need local educational agencies,
as defined in section 200 of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1021); and
(2) ensure that, to the maximum extent practicable, the
projects funded under this section are located in diverse
geographic regions of the United States.
(e) Uses of Funds.--
(1) In general.--A local educational agency receiving a
grant under this section shall use such funds to carry out
programs at elementary schools and secondary schools served by
the local educational agency that--
(A) involve instruction of research-based social
and emotional skills, habits, and mindsets through
locally relevant materials for teachers and school
leaders and families;
(B) provide professional development for teachers
and school leaders to engage families and support the
development of the social and emotional skills, habits,
and mindsets of families;
(C) provide direct instruction on social emotional
learning to families during times when families are
available and in places that are convenient and easily
accessible;
(D) encourage participation of families in the
programs offered by the local education agency under
this section, including programs supported by partner
agencies as described under paragraph (3);
(E) are designed to result in improved measurable
outcomes related to children, including positive social
behavior and academic outcomes; and
(F) may be provided virtually or online.
(2) State educational agencies.--In the case of a local
educational agency that is a State educational agency, such
entity shall award subgrants, on a competitive basis, to local
educational agencies to carry out the program described in
paragraph (1).
(3) Public-private partnerships.--Each local educational
agency awarded a grant under this section may carry out the
program funded under the grant in partnership with one or more
of the following:
(A) Institutions of higher education.
(B) Nonprofit organizations.
(C) Community-based organizations.
(f) Annual Report to Congress.--Not later than 4 years after the
first grant is awarded under this section, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress and make publicly available, a
report on activities and results under this section. Such report shall
describe--
(1) the total number of grant applications received during
the year preceding the report;
(2) the number and geographic distribution of the grants
for such year and for all grants awarded under this section;
(3) participation of minority-serving institutions;
(4) participation of underrepresented and economically
disadvantaged families;
(5) overall program outcomes and issues of concern; and
(6) recommendations for program revisions to achieve the
desired program outcome.
(g) Definitions.--
(1) ESEA terms.--The terms ``elementary school'', ``local
educational agency'', ``parent'', ``professional development'',
``secondary school'', and ``State educational agency'' have the
meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(3) Instruction.--The term ``instruction'' means activities
that--
(A) emphasize communication of knowledge concerning
social emotional learning in adults and children;
(B) provide opportunities to practice social
emotional learning through interactive activities
between families and their children; and
(C) are aligned with and integrated into family
involvement and engagement standards that may exist in
the applicable State or that may be developed.
(4) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
serving institution'' means an institution of higher education
described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1067q).
(5) Teacher and school leader training programs.--The term
``teacher and school leader training programs'' includes
training programs for teachers, principals, school leaders, and
other school-based personnel.
(6) Teachers and school leaders.--The term ``teachers and
school leaders'' means teachers, principals, school leaders,
and other school-based personnel.
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
(8) Social emotional learning.--The term ``social emotional
learning'' includes--
(A) self-awareness, or having a realistic
perception of one's own values, interests, and
strengths, and being able to recognize one's own
emotions;
(B) self-management, or how well one manages
emotions, impulses, and stress, and is able to
establish and achieve goals and exercise self-
discipline;
(C) social awareness, or the ability to take the
perspective of and empathize with someone else and to
appreciate and respect diversity;
(D) relationship skills, or the ability to
participate in healthy, cooperative, and caring
relationships, and effectively resolve conflicts; and
(E) responsible decision making, or the ability to
recognize and generate good choices, evaluate the
likely consequences of actions, and take responsibility
for one's decisions.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $130,000,000, of which not more
than $10,000,000 may be used by the Secretary for reports and technical
assistance.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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