Revision: Oct. 30, 2023, 2:49 p.m.
2024 SESSION
24-2621.0
10/02
HOUSE BILL [bill number]
AN ACT relative to social-emotional learning in public schools.
SPONSORS: [sponsors]
COMMITTEE: [committee]
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ANALYSIS
This bill prohibits the teaching of curriculum for social emotional learning in public schools, and establishes a penalty for violations.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24-2621.0
10/02
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relative to social-emotional learning in public schools.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Instruction of Pupils; Prohibition of Social Emotional Learning. Amend RSA 189 by inserting after section 10 the following new section:
189:10-a Social Emotional Learning Prohibited.
I. For the purposes of this section, “social emotional learning” means:
(a) Any evidence-based or non-evidence-based programming that promotes school and/or civic engagement and/or builds an equitable learning framework that creates or uses evidence-based benchmarks, standards, surveys, activities, learning indicators, programs, policies, processes, professional development, or assessments that address non-cognitive social factors including but not limited to, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision making, and/or other attributes, dispositions, social skills, attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, feelings, emotions, mindsets, metacognitive learning skills, motivation, grit, self-regulation, tenacity, perseverance, resilience, and/or intrapersonal resources;
(b) Any evidence-based or non-evidence-based program, policy, process, or procedure that uses school climate surveys to collect data from students according to skills that include, but are not limited to education, confidence, connections, motivation, stress, and/or well-being; and
(c) Any evidence-based or non-evidence-based program, policy, or procedure that compiles and/or uses data from school climate surveys to develop aligned learning opportunities.
II. No public school, school district, or chartered public school shall use federal, state, or private funds to promote, purchase, or utilize the concepts of social emotional learning for training, instruction, or education of students.
III. No public school or chartered public school teacher, administrator, counselor, employee, or volunteer shall use any curricula with content related to social emotional learning in the training, instruction, or education of students. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply to all learning resources.
IV.(a) A parent or legal guardian of a student enrolled in a public school or chartered public school who has reason to believe a violation of the provisions of this section has occurred shall make a report in good faith with the attorney general. The report shall include any written documentation of the potential violation including, but not limited to a project or class assignment.
(b) Upon receipt of a report pursuant to the provisions of this section, if the attorney general or agent determines that a violation of this section has occurred, he or she shall notify the commissioner of the department of education. The commissioner shall assess a financial penalty against the school district or chartered public school in an amount equal to 5 percent of the next quarterly payment of education grants under RSA 198:42 or RSA 194-B:11. The commissioner shall give notice of any such penalty to the chairs of the education committees in the senate and the house of representatives.