[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 6, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S2243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 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

  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:

                              S. Res. 576

       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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