I 
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 Representa-
tives 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 plan-
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‘‘(E) RELATIONSHIP
SKILL.—The term 
‘relationship skill’ means an individual’s ability 
to establish and maintain healthy and reward-
ing relationships with individuals from diverse 
backgrounds and cultures through commu-
nicating 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 re-
spectful choices about personal behavior and so-
cial interactions, based on consideration of eth-
ical standards, safety concerns, the realistic 
evaluation of consequences that stem from ac-
tions, and the well-being of self and others. 
‘‘(25) SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING PRO-
GRAMMING.—The term ‘social and emotional learn-
ing programming’ refers to instruction, activities, 
and best practice initiatives that— 
‘‘(A) integrate social and emotional learn-
ing with academic achievement; 
‘‘(B) provide systematic instruction where-
by social and emotional skills are taught, mod-
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eled, 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 be-
haviors such as substance use, violence, bul-
lying, and school failure, and to promote posi-
tive behaviors in class, school, and community 
activities; and 
‘‘(D) establish safe and caring learning en-
vironments 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 partner-
ship will prepare prospective and new teachers and 
principals, if applicable, to understand, use, and de-
velop social and emotional learning programming.’’; 
(2) in subsection (e)(1)(C)— 
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(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
EXCEL-
LENCE.—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: 
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‘‘(iii) promoting the understanding, 
use, and development of social and emo-
tional 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 devel-
oping social and emotional learning pro-
gramming; and’’. 
Æ 
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