[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 576 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 576

 Expressing support for the designation of the week of March 4 through 
 March 8, 2024, as ``National Social and Emotional Learning Week'' to 
  recognize the critical role social and emotional learning plays in 
  supporting the academic success and overall well-being of students, 
                        educators, and families.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 6, 2024

 Mr. Durbin (for himself, Ms. Collins, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Blumenthal, 
  Mr. King, Mr. Booker, Ms. Butler, Mr. Sanders, and Mr. Van Hollen) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
               on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the designation of the week of March 4 through 
 March 8, 2024, as ``National Social and Emotional Learning Week'' to 
  recognize the critical role social and emotional learning plays in 
  supporting the academic success and overall well-being of students, 
                        educators, and families.

Whereas, according to research conducted by both the Centers for Disease Control 
        and Prevention and Harvard University, the COVID-19 pandemic heightened 
        the urgency to provide greater assistance to students, educators, and 
        families to address the mental health, behavioral, and other systemic 
        challenges that impede the academic and developmental improvement and 
        success of students;
Whereas decades of research demonstrate how social and emotional learning 
        (referred to in this preamble as ``SEL'') promotes academic achievement, 
        mental wellness, healthy behaviors, and long-term success;
Whereas, according to a study by researchers at the Collaborative for Academic, 
        Social, and Emotional Learning, Loyola University of Chicago, and the 
        University of Illinois at Chicago, SEL programs that addressed the 5 
        core competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, 
        relationship skills, and responsible decision making) increased academic 
        performance by 11 percentile points, improved the ability of students to 
        manage stress, and improved the attitudes of students about themselves, 
        others, and school;
Whereas, according to a study by researchers at Yale University, the University 
        of Rochester, the University of Maryland, and Loyola University of 
        Chicago, students participating in SEL at school had higher ``school 
        functioning'', including grades, test scores, attendance, homework 
        completion, and engagement;
Whereas a study in the Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis found that, on average, 
        for every dollar spent on the evidence-based SEL programs examined, 
        there was an $11 return on investment;
Whereas, according to a study published by the American Public Health 
        Association, the development of social and emotional skills in 
        kindergarten has been associated with improved outcomes for young adults 
        later in life, resulting in reduced societal costs for public 
        assistance, public housing, police involvement, and detention;
Whereas, in response to a Pew Research Center survey of parents of K-12 
        students, 66 percent of the parents said that schools teaching children 
        to develop social and emotional skills was ``very important'' and 
        another 27 percent of the parents said that such teaching was ``somewhat 
        important'';
Whereas EdWeek Research Center found that 83 percent of educators indicated that 
        SEL is ``somewhat'' or ``very'' helpful for the academic learning of 
        students;
Whereas research from Yale University, the University of Cantabria, Jagiellonian 
        University, and Pennsylvania State University indicates that educators 
        who demonstrate greater social and emotional competence are frequently 
        more capable of protecting themselves from burnout; and
Whereas the week of March 4 through March 8, 2024, would be an appropriate 
        period to designate as ``National Social and Emotional Learning Week'': 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the designation of ``National Social and 
        Emotional Learning Week'';
            (2) recognizes the role that social and emotional learning 
        plays in promoting academic achievement, mental and behavioral 
        health, and future career success for students;
            (3) expresses support for expanding access to social and 
        emotional learning for each student and teacher; and
            (4) encourages the people of the United States to identify 
        opportunities among Federal agencies to advance social and 
        emotional learning to support students, parents, educators, and 
        their communities.
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