This bill directs the Secretary of Education to conduct a study on how states, local school districts, and public schools teach students about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The study must examine whether 9/11 education is required or optional in curricula, identify available teaching resources and professional development for teachers, and assess the methods used to evaluate student learning. It also requires the Secretary to work with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and submit a report on these findings to Congress within three years of the law's enactment.
The Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act creates a new public website and database to help schools and school districts find cybersecurity tools, training, and federal funding opportunities. It also establishes a voluntary registry where schools can report cyber incidents to help identify trends and improve national monitoring. Additionally, the bill authorizes a program to deploy specific cybersecurity strategies and services to protect school systems from threats like ransomware. The Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is tasked with running these initiatives in partnership with various government agencies and school leaders. Congress has authorized $10 million for each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028 to fund these efforts.
The Seizure Safe Schools Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of Education to create guidance for elementary and secondary schools on how to ensure safety for students with epilepsy or other seizure disorders. This guidance, developed in cooperation with the Department of Health and Human Services, must be issued within six months of the bill's enactment and will outline steps for schools to support students through their existing Section 504 plans or Individualized Education Programs. The act also allows the Secretary of Education to update this guidance as needed in the future.
The Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to create a public website and database that helps schools share security tips, find government-funded tools, and apply for cybersecurity grants. It also establishes a voluntary registry where schools can report cyber incidents to help identify trends and improve national monitoring without revealing private student information. Additionally, the bill funds a program to provide tailored cybersecurity strategies, ransomware protection services, and training specifically designed for the unique resources of elementary and secondary schools. These measures aim to strengthen digital safety for K-12 institutions by improving information exchange, tracking threats, and offering direct technical support.
This Pennsylvania bill requires public and private schools to teach students in grades six through twelve about suicide prevention and violence awareness, while also introducing social isolation education for students from kindergarten through grade twelve. To support these requirements, the state education department must create and publish a list of evidence-based, age-appropriate curricula that schools can use to deliver at least one hour of instruction annually. The materials must cover identifying warning signs, seeking help, and reporting dangerous behavior, with the option for schools to combine these lessons into a single class period. Additionally, the legislation allows for the establishment of student-led violence prevention clubs to further promote safety within school communities.
To amend sections 3313.669, 3314.03, 3326.11, and 5502.263 and to enact section 5502.264 of the Revised Code regarding threat assessment teams and model behavioral threat assessment plans and to make an appropriation.
