,,iii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #fia  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september
 #ad1 #bjbj,mr4 ,blumenthal 7for        
himself1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,ms4 ,hassan1 and
 ,mr4 ,king7 submitted the following    
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,health1 ,education1      
,labor1 and ,pensions  ,,resolution     
,expressing support for evidence-based  
programs that facilitate social and     
emotional learning during and beyond the
 ,,covid-#ai pandemic4  ,whereas a      
positive school culture is important for
 students1 teachers1 and staff to feel  
safe1 valued1 engaged1 included1 and    
respected2 ,whereas students face       
intense academic and social pressures in
 school1 including stress1 bullying1 and
 social isolation2 ,whereas students    
face increasing anxiety as the          
,,covid-#ai pandemic continues1 as a    
result of-- 7#a7 social distancing      
requirements and increasing social      
isolation2  7#b7 fear of illness for    

themselves and peers2  7#c7 uncertainty 
of the future for themselves and        
schooling2 and  7#d7 financial          
insecurity that results in hunger or    
stress at home2 ,whereas1 when these    
concerns or childhood trauma are not    
addressed appropriately1 anxiety1       
depression1 social withdrawal1          
disruptive behavior1 drug and alcohol   
abuse1 and violence can result2 ,whereas
 skills developed through social and    
emotional learning equip young people to
 handle the challenges they face and    
help them succeed not just as students1 
but as healthy and caring adults1       
productive workers1 and engaged         
citizens2 ,whereas social and emotional 
learning is defined as the process      
through which children and adults       
acquire and effectively apply the       
knowledge1 attitudes1 and skills        
associated with social and emotional    
competency1 including the ability to--  
7#a7 identify1 understand1 and manage   
emotions2  7#b7 set and achieve positive

 goals2  7#c7 feel and show empathy for 
others2  7#d7 establish and maintain    
positive relationships2 and  7#e7 make  
responsible decisions2 ,whereas social  
and emotional learning programs can be  
effectively integrated into schools     
through classroom instruction1 both     
in-person and virtually1 and other      
schoolwide activities that-- 7#a7       
provide instruction for school leaders1 
educators1 and staff on social and      
emotional learning1 so they can both    
model these skills for students and     
benefit from them personally and        
professionally2  7#b7 integrate social  
and emotional learning through family   
engagement and in the school curriculum1
 through instruction and1 in some cases1
 playful learning2  7#c7 provide        
systematic instruction in which skills  
are taught1 modeled1 practiced1 and     
applied in daily behavior2 and  7#d7    
establish safe and caring learning      
environments that foster student        
participation1 engagement1 and          

connection to their school community2   
,whereas social and emotional skills are
 both teachable and measurable1 and     
evidence-based social and emotional     
learning programs have already been     
successfully implemented in schools     
across the country for students in      
preschool through high school2 ,whereas 
students exposed to social and emotional
 learning programs have improved        
academic outcomes1 including greater    
motivation to learn and commitment to   
school1 increased time devoted to       
schoolwork and mastery of subject       
matter1 and improved attendance1        
graduation rates1 grades1 and test      
scores2 ,whereas these positive outcomes
 increase in students who are involved  
in social and emotional learning        
programs by an average of #aa percentage
 points over students who are not       
involved in such programs2 ,whereas     
social and emotional learning programs  
can mitigate the impact of childhood    
trauma and also result in reduced       

problem behavior1 improved health       
outcomes1 a lower rate of violent       
delinquency1 and a lower rate of heavy  
alcohol use2 ,whereas programs that     
increase student connectedness and raise
 awareness about social isolation have  
been shown to reduce bullying and       
improve school climate2 and ,whereas    
social and emotional learning programs  
help young people appreciate the        
importance of developing and sustaining 
positive interpersonal relationships and
 inclusive communities3 ,now1 therefore1
 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 supports
 the goals of evidence-based social and 
emotional learning programs2  7#b7      
encourages schools and communities to   
implement programs to facilitate social 
and emotional learning in both in-person
 curriculum and virtual curriculum2 and 
7#c7 encourages schools to conduct      
regular in-person and virtual training  
of their staff to ensure social and     
emotional learning programs can evolve1 
grow1 and build capacity as needed4