Bill > H689

This bill requires the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop and publish comprehensive guidelines for implementing social and emotional learning (SEL) in middle and high school athletic programs by June 30, 2024. The guidelines aim to help students and coaches create safe, supportive, and bias-free team environments through specific strategies such as providing age-appropriate leadership opportunities for students, empowering athletes to report negative behaviors, addressing hate and bias, and developing critical life skills. These skills include emotion and stress management, self-discipline, goal setting, conflict resolution, and ethical decision-making. The bill defines social and emotional learning as a process that helps children recognize and manage emotions, show empathy, build positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and handle challenging social situations. The guidelines will be updated every two years and integrated into the state's existing safe and supportive schools framework, though school districts would have discretion in adopting them for their athletic programs.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H689