Res 0076-2014

By Council Members Williams and Rosenthal Whereas, Students deserve to learn in a safe space that promotes a positive, healthy and creative learning environment; and Whereas, Studies show that healthy students have an improved capacity to focus and learn, feel better, experience improved self-image and perform better in school; and Whereas, Bullying prevention, physical wellness, and student mental health have received increasing focus from educators and policymakers in recent years, as evidenced by annual bullying prevention summits hosted by the United States Department of Education and similar events held in individual states; and Whereas, H.R. 3122, The Successful, Safe and Healthy Students Act ("the Act") introduced by Congressman Bruce Braley in September 2013, seeks to bolster these efforts by creating grant programs so local schools can develop and implement programs that encourage positive learning conditions and increase academic achievement for all students; and Whereas, The Successful, Safe and Healthy Student State Grant program, would provide funding to states to implement programs to support positive conditions for learning; and Whereas, States receiving funding under this program could distribute grants to local school districts to improve learning conditions, giving priority to those with the highest poverty and greatest needs; and Whereas, By awarding grant funding to efforts that seek to increase opportunities for physical activity, good nutrition, healthy living, substance abuse prevention and the prevention of bullying, harassment and violence, schools would be better able to foster supportive learning environments; and Whereas, The Act would also allow states to award subgrants to give local districts the resources they need to develop and improve data systems to improve conditions for learning in schools and communities; and Whereas, Specifically, the Act amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award grants to states to: (1) develop, improve, and implement state reporting and information systems that measure conditions for learning, based on surveys of school students and staff; and (2) award competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or nonprofit organizations that use such measurement systems to make comprehensive improvements to school-level conditions for learning; and Whereas, The Act would also condition a state's grant eligibility on the state: (1) having a statewide physical education requirement that is consistent with widely recognized standards; and (2) requiring its LEAs to establish policies that prevent and prohibit harassment in schools, to notify students, parents, and educational professionals of prohibited conduct each year, and to provide students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and Whereas, Further, the Act would direct the Secretary of Education to evaluate the programs this Act funds and provide technical assistance to program applicants, grantees, and subgrantees; and Whereas, The Act seeks to advance student achievement by promoting student health and wellness, preventing bullying, violence and drug use, and fostering a positive school climate; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Congress of the United States to pass, and the President to sign into law, H.R. 3122, the Successful, Safe and Healthy Students Act of 2013. TC Res 2030/2013 LS 463/2014 2