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 emo-
tional 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. 
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(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 in-
structional space for proposed programming; 
(2) a commitment to the development, imple-
mentation, and evaluation of successful teacher and 
school leader training programs on family engage-
ment 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 pro-
grams will serve diverse groups, such as underrep-
resented 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 para-
graphs (1) through (3) for a period of not less than 
5 years. 
(d) SELECTION.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, 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 
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(2) ensure that, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, the projects funded under this section are lo-
cated 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 edu-
cational 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 fami-
lies; 
(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 
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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, in-
cluding 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 sub-
grants, on a competitive basis, to local educational 
agencies to carry out the program described in para-
graph (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 fol-
lowing: 
(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 
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Congress and make publicly available, a report on activi-
ties and results under this section. Such report shall de-
scribe— 
(1) the total number of grant applications re-
ceived 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 institu-
tions; 
(4) participation of underrepresented and eco-
nomically disadvantaged families; 
(5) overall program outcomes and issues of con-
cern; 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’’, ‘‘pro-
fessional 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 
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