Saving America's Future by Educating Kids Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.6324 | Sponsor: Rep. Vela, Filemon (D-TX)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Saving America's Future by Educating Kids Act of 2021
This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to develop and support implementation of an evidence-based, K-12 curriculum on the dangers of substances of misuse, including opioids, vaping, and synthetic drugs. ED must review and update the curriculum every two years.
ED must award grants to state educational agencies to implement the evidence-based curriculum. In awarding these grants, ED must give priority to those states that have experienced the highest drug overdose death rates.

To direct the Secretary of Education to develop and disseminate an 
  evidence-based curriculum for kindergarten through grade 12 on the 
 dangers of vaping and misusing opioids, synthetic drugs, and related 
                              substances.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Saving America's Future by Educating 
Kids Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM ON SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Development and dissemination of curriculum.--The 
        Secretary of Education, in consultation with the partners 
        described in paragraph (2), shall develop and disseminate an 
        evidence-based curriculum for kindergarten through grade 12 on 
        educating students at an age-appropriate level on the dangers 
        and harmful impacts of substances that focuses on opioids, 
        vaping, synthetic drugs, and other related substances of 
        misuse.
            (2) Partners.--The partners described in this paragraph are 
        the following:
                    (A) The Assistant Secretary of the Substance Abuse 
                and Mental Health Services Administration.
                    (B) The Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
                and Prevention.
                    (C) The Assistant Secretary of the Administration 
                for Children and Families.
                    (D) The Commissioner of Food and Drugs.
                    (E) The Director of the National Institute on Drug 
                Abuse or a designee of the Director from the National 
                Institute on Drug Abuse.
                    (F) The Director of the National Institute on 
                Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism or a designee of the 
                Director from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse 
                and Alcoholism.
                    (G) The Administrator of the Office of Juvenile 
                Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Department of 
                Justice or a designee of the Administrator from the 
                Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
                    (H) The Director of the Office of National Drug 
                Control Policy.
            (3) Additional consultation.--The Secretary of Education 
        may also consult with State educational agencies, local 
        educational agencies, and single State agencies during the 
        development of the evidence-based curriculum under paragraph 
        (1).
            (4) Review and update.--The Secretary of Education, in 
        consultation with the partners described in paragraph (2), 
        shall review and update the evidence-based curriculum developed 
        under paragraph (1) every 2 years.
    (b) Competitive Grant Program.--
            (1) In general.--Beginning the first fiscal year following 
        the completion of the development of the evidence-based 
        curriculum under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary of Education, 
        in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health 
        and Substance Use, shall award grants, on a competitive basis, 
        to State educational agencies to enable the State educational 
        agencies to implement the evidence-based curriculum. The 
        Secretary of Education shall award not less than 10 grants 
        during each grant cycle.
            (2) Application.--A State educational agency that desires 
        to receive a grant under this subsection shall submit an 
        application to the Secretary of Education at such time, in such 
        manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary 
        may require.
            (3) Preference.--In awarding grants under this subsection, 
        the Secretary of Education shall give preference to States that 
        have experienced the highest drug overdose death rates.
            (4) Subcontract.--A State educational agency that receives 
        a grant under this subsection may subcontract with community 
        coalitions that are currently, as of the date of application, a 
        recipient of a grant under section 1032 of the Anti-Drug Abuse 
        Act of 1988 (21 U.S.C. 1532), to implement the evidence-based 
        curriculum, as needed.
            (5) Annual report.--Each State educational agency that 
        receives a grant under this subsection shall provide an annual 
        report to the Secretary of Education and the Assistant 
        Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use on the State 
        educational agency's curriculum implementation progress and 
        program reach, in order to monitor the quality of 
        implementation of the evidence-based curriculum.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Evidence-based.--The term ``evidence-based'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Single state agency.--The term ``single State agency'' 
        means the State agency responsible for administering the 
        substance abuse prevention and treatment block grant under 
        subpart II of part B of title XIX of the Public Health Service 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 300x-21 et seq.).
            (3) State educational agency.--The term ``State educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
    (d) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this section such sums as may be necessary for the period of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2031.
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