The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) applauds President Joe Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Budget Proposal, which provides strong support for public education including critical funding for social and emotional learning (SEL) and related initiatives. This continued support for academic, social, and emotional learning is part of a $90 billion request in discretionary funding for the Department of Education, a 13.6 percent increase over the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) enacted level.
“As our nation’s students and educators continue to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must commit to fully supporting the long-term academic, social, and emotional learning of all students,” said Dr. Aaliyah A. Samuel, president and CEO of CASEL. “Robust investments in evidence-based social and emotional learning practices and research create sustainable support for students’ learning and well-being. We applaud President Biden for providing a budget proposal that reflects the most urgent needs of the country’s children and creates conditions for every student to thrive.”
Specifically, the proposal includes:
- $405 million for the Education Innovation and Research (EIR) program, an increase of $121 million above the FY23 enacted level. The EIR program has supported evidence-based innovations that promote student achievement and attainment, as well as SEL for underserved students.
- $20.5 billion for Title I-A grants, $1.4 billion for Student Support and Academic Enrichment State Grants (SSAE), and $1.3 billion for Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which can support students’ SEL.
- $30 million for Hawkins Centers of Excellence and $132 million for Teacher Quality Partnerships, which collectively more than double the FY23 enacted spending level. These programs are critical to ensuring that teachers are prepared to enter the classroom ready to address the academic, social, and emotional needs of their students.
Last year, CASEL sent a letter to President Biden calling for robust investments in public education, including SEL and SEL-related initiatives, which are integral to a high-quality public education. CASEL is pleased to see the continued funding for grant programs that support the social and emotional development of students and create the conditions to support learning.
