Sec. 2. Findings

343 words·~2 min read·/bill/113/hr/4509/ih/section-2

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

The Congress finds as follows: 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.

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. 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. 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. 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.