SELF Act of 2021
Bill: S.1668 | Sponsor: Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. (I-ME)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Social-Emotional Learning for Families Act of 2021 or the SELF Act of 2021
This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to local educational agencies to develop, implement, and evaluate educator and school leader professional development programs on social-emotional learning and family engagement.

To establish a competitive grant program to support the development, 
implementation, and evaluation of successful educator and school leader 
   professional development programs on family engagement that will 
  increase the capacity of educators and school leaders to work with 
   families to develop and support the social-emotional learning of 
                               children.

    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 ``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 shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to 
local educational agencies to develop, implement, and evaluate educator 
and school leader professional development programs on social-emotional 
learning and 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 educators and school leaders to work with families to 
develop and support the social-emotional learning 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.
            (4) Rural set aside.--The Secretary shall reserve 10 
        percent of the funds appropriated to carry out this section to 
        award grants to rural local educational agencies that are 
        eligible local educational agencies under section 5211(b) of 
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7345(b)).
    (c) Applications.--An application submitted by a local educational 
agency for a grant under this section shall demonstrate through 
descriptions in the grant application--
            (1) the ability to provide instructional space for proposed 
        programming;
            (2) a commitment to the development, implementation, and 
        evaluation of successful educator and school leader 
        professional development programs on family engagement that 
        will increase the capacity of educators and school leaders to 
        work with families to develop and support the social-emotional 
        learning of children;
            (3) a plan to ensure that the proposed programs will serve 
        diverse groups, such as Native Americans and underrepresented 
        or economically disadvantaged families;
            (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 paragraphs (1) through (3) for a period of 
        not less than 5 years;
            (5) how the local educational agency intends to measure 
        outcomes related to the grant; and
            (6) how the population to be served with grant funds is 
        experiencing youth trauma resulting from recent natural 
        disasters (such as hurricanes, wildfires, or tornados), the 
        opioid epidemic, or a qualifying emergency.
    (d) Selection.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) give priority to--
                    (A) high-need local educational agencies, as 
                defined in section 200 of the Higher Education Act of 
                1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021); and
                    (B) local educational agencies that serve 
                populations that are likely to have an increased 
                likelihood of youth trauma resulting from recent 
                natural disasters (such as hurricanes, wildfires, or 
                tornados), the opioid epidemic, or a qualifying 
                emergency; and
            (2) ensure that, to the maximum extent practicable, the 
        projects funded under this section are located 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 educational agency that--
                    (A) involves instruction of evidence-based social-
                emotional learning through locally relevant materials 
                for educators and school leaders and families;
                    (B) provides professional development for educators 
                and school leaders to engage families and support the 
                development of the social-emotional learning of 
                families;
                    (C) provides direct instruction on social-emotional 
                learning to families during times when families are 
                available and in places that are safe, convenient, and 
                easily accessible;
                    (D) encourages participation of families in the 
                programs offered by the local educational agency under 
                this section, including programs supported by partner 
                entities as described under paragraph (3); and
                    (E) is designed to result in improved measurable 
                outcomes related to children, including positive social 
                behavior and academic outcomes.
            (2) State educational agencies.--In the case of a local 
        educational agency that is a State educational agency, such 
        entity shall award subgrants, on a competitive basis, to local 
        educational agencies to carry out the program described in 
        paragraph (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 following:
                    (A) Institutions of higher education, including 
                Tribal Colleges and Universities.
                    (B) Nonprofit organizations.
                    (C) Community-based organizations.
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Reports from grant recipients.--A local educational 
        agency that receives a grant under this section shall submit to 
        the Secretary, not later than 1 year after the date of receipt 
        of grant funds, a report containing any relevant information, 
        as requested by the Secretary, in accordance with the 
        information required of the Secretary under paragraph (2).
            (2) Annual report to congress.--Not later than 2 years 
        after the first grant is awarded under this section, and 
        annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives and make publicly available, a report on 
        activities and results under this section. Such report shall 
        describe--
                    (A) the total number of grant applications received 
                during the year preceding the report;
                    (B) the number and geographic distribution of the 
                grants for such year and for all grants awarded under 
                this section;
                    (C) participation of minority-serving institutions, 
                including Tribal Colleges and Universities;
                    (D) participation of underrepresented and 
                economically disadvantaged families;
                    (E) overall program outcomes and issues of concern; 
                and
                    (F) recommendations for program revisions to 
                achieve the desired program outcome.
    (g) Definitions.--
            (1) ESEA terms.--The terms ``elementary school'', ``local 
        educational agency'', ``professional development'', ``secondary 
        school'', ``specialized instructional support personnel'', 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) Educator and school leader professional development 
        programs.--The term ``educator and school leader professional 
        development programs'' includes professional development 
        programs for educators, principals, school leaders, specialized 
        instructional support personnel, and other school-based 
        personnel.
            (3) Educators and school leaders.--The term ``educators and 
        school leaders'' means educators, principals, school leaders, 
        specialized instructional support personnel, and other school-
        based personnel.
            (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (5) Instruction.--The term ``instruction'' means activities 
        that--
                    (A) emphasize communication of knowledge concerning 
                social-emotional learning in adults and children;
                    (B) provide opportunities to practice social-
                emotional learning through interactive activities 
                between families and their children; and
                    (C) are aligned with and integrated into family 
                involvement and engagement standards that may exist in 
                the applicable State or that may be developed.
            (6) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
        serving institution'' means an institution of higher education 
        described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).
            (7) Qualifying emergency.--The term ``qualifying 
        emergency'' means--
                    (A) a public health emergency related to the 
                coronavirus declared by the Secretary of Health and 
                Human Services pursuant to section 319 of the Public 
                Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d);
                    (B) an event related to the coronavirus for which 
                the President declared a major disaster or an emergency 
                under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert 
                T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
                Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 and 5191); or
                    (C) a national emergency related to the coronavirus 
                declared by the President under section 201 of the 
                National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
            (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (9) Social-emotional learning.--The term ``social-emotional 
        learning'' includes--
                    (A) self-awareness, or having a realistic 
                perception of one's own values, interests, and 
                strengths, and being able to recognize one's own 
                emotions;
                    (B) self-management, or how well one manages 
                emotions, impulses, and stress, and is able to 
                establish and achieve goals and exercise self-
                discipline;
                    (C) social awareness, or the ability to take the 
                perspective of and empathize with someone else and to 
                appreciate and respect diversity;
                    (D) relationship skills, or the ability to 
                participate in healthy, cooperative, and caring 
                relationships, and effectively resolve conflicts; and
                    (E) responsible decision making, or the ability to 
                recognize and generate good choices, evaluate the 
                likely consequences of actions, and take responsibility 
                for one's decisions.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $130,000,000, of which not more 
than $10,000,000 may be used by the Secretary for reports and technical 
assistance.
                                 <all>