Education (School Safety)

in committee · United States · House Apr 7, 2025

HR 2682: STOP Bullying Act

HR 2682, the STOP Bullying Act, requires each state to establish a state anti-bullying task force using federal grants. The task force must study bullying in K-12 schools, including policies, education efforts, and bullying-related violence or self-harm, and include specific members like teachers, students, parents, psychologists, and LGBTQ+ advocates. States must submit a public report with findings, recommendations for legislation or actions, and best practices for addressing bullying within one year. This bill directly affects all public K-12 schools and students across the country, particularly focusing on reducing bullying against marginalized groups like LGBTQ+ students, Jewish students, and students with disabilities. The law creates a structured process for states to develop evidence-based anti-bullying strategies but does not provide direct funding for school programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires states to establish anti-bullying task forces in K-12 schools, study policies, and report findings to improve school safety and student well-being.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill includes psychologists and LGBTQ+ advocates in anti-bullying task forces, addressing mental health and psychological well-being in schools.65% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Safety Student Health

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in committee · United States · Senate Jan 28, 2026

S 3710: SOAR Permanent Authorization Act

The SOAR Permanent Authorization Act extends the District of Columbia's Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) program permanently, replacing its temporary authorization. It allows scholarship grants to be renewed for up to five additional years without competitive bidding, expands the eligible service area to include the Washington metropolitan region (adding Maryland and Virginia counties), and updates school accreditation requirements to include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-approved bodies. The bill increases annual funding from $60 million to $75 million starting in fiscal year 2027, extends scholarships to cover pre-kindergarten, and requires more frequent program evaluations focused on student academic progress, graduation rates, and school safety comparisons. These changes directly affect D.C. students using SOAR scholarships, participating schools, and the entities administering the program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill permanently authorizes scholarship funding, ensuring ongoing state budget allocation for education programs without competitive bidding or funding cuts.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExtends DC scholarship program permanently, expands access to MD/VA counties, and streamlines renewal - directly enhances educational access and funding for students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement K-12 Education School Choice School Safety

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in committee · United States · House Mar 3, 2025

HR 1810: Safe Schools Improvement Act

Safe Schools Improvement Act This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, or sex. Sex includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics (including intersex traits). Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates anti-bullying policies protecting students based on race, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in K-12 schools, directly advancing student safety and educational access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Safety

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in committee · United States · Senate Dec 11, 2025

S 3448: Keeping All Students Safe Act

The Keeping All Students Safe Act prohibits inappropriate seclusion and restraint in schools, including mechanical, chemical, and certain physical restraints that pose safety risks. It requires schools to use less restrictive interventions first, train staff in crisis intervention, and notify parents within 24 hours of any restraint incident. The law mandates meetings between schools and parents after incidents to discuss prevention strategies and provides documentation requirements. It applies to all public schools receiving federal funding, with specific protections for students with disabilities. States must submit compliance plans and report on restraint use, including demographic data on affected students.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill restricts inappropriate restraint use in schools, protecting student civil rights and promoting safer educational environments, which aligns with criminal justice reform principles.75% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProhibits unsafe restraints, mandates staff training and parent notifications to protect student safety in schools, aligning with educational safety protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Special Education Student Health

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in committee · United States · House Sep 15, 2025

HR 5353: Peer to Peer Mental Health Support Act

HR 5353, the Peer to Peer Mental Health Support Act, creates a federal pilot program to fund evidence-based mental health peer support programs in secondary schools (grades 6-12). It provides competitive grants to states, tribes, or school districts to train student helpers and school professionals to support peers facing mental health challenges, with programs overseen by school-based mental health professionals. The program requires measuring participation, training details, and impacts on student mental health outcomes, with annual reports to Congress. The initiative expires on September 30, 2029.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds mental health peer programs in secondary schools (grades 6-12) through competitive grants, advancing student support services and educational access.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds school-based mental health peer programs via competitive grants, directly expanding access to mental health support services in schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House Apr 8, 2025

HR 2739: Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act

This bill prohibits federal funding for school police officers and establishes a $5 billion grant program to help schools replace law enforcement with mental health professionals like counselors, social workers, and psychologists. It requires schools to eliminate police contracts before receiving funds and mandates that grant money be used for trauma-informed services, restorative justice programs, and evidence-based mental health support instead of punitive discipline. The bill directly affects schools with police presence but insufficient mental health staff, particularly those serving Black, Latino, Native American, and other marginalized students who face racial disparities in school discipline. It aims to reduce the school-to-prison pipeline by shifting resources from law enforcement to supportive services that address students' needs. The legislation includes reporting requirements for schools to track disciplinary practices and demographic data to monitor progress in reducing disparities.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeDefunds school police, mandates mental health services over punitive discipline, aligns with restorative justice reform to reduce criminalization in schools.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRedirects $5B federal funds from school police to mental health professionals, enhancing student support services and trauma-informed programs in schools.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds $5B for school mental health professionals, replacing police with counselors and mandating trauma-informed services per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement Policing School Safety Student Health Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House Jun 12, 2025

HR 3968: School Violence Prevention Act

HR 3968, the School Violence Prevention Act, creates a federal grant program to fund school-based violence prevention programs in communities with severe gun violence. It authorizes $25 million annually (2025-2031) for grants to partnerships between state/local education agencies and community nonprofits in areas experiencing high homicide rates (e.g., 35+ homicides annually) or double the national violent crime arrest rate for youth. Grants must support evidence-based programs for K-12 students - including trauma-informed counseling, conflict resolution skills, mental health access, and community engagement - while requiring annual data collection on outcomes like graduation rates. All programs must be evaluated by grantees and independent researchers, with reports shared publicly and submitted to Congress every three years.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds evidence-based school violence prevention programs in high-crime areas, aiming to reduce youth involvement in the criminal justice system through proactive community partnerships.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds K-12 violence prevention programs via $25M annual grants, directly supporting school safety and student access in high-risk areas.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Violent Crime K-12 Education School Safety Student Health

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 12, 2025

S 986: Safe Schools Improvement Act

Safe Schools Improvement Act This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, or sex. Sex includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics (including intersex traits). Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates policies preventing bullying based on protected characteristics, directly enhancing student safety and school environment protection within K-12 education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Safety

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in committee · United States · House Feb 21, 2025

HR 1470: SOS Act of 2025

HR 1470, the SOS Act of 2025, increases federal funding for school resource officers (SROs) by raising annual allocations from $1,047 million to $1,097 million for fiscal years 2026-2035 under the 1968 Omnibus Crime Control Act. It directly affects schools and local law enforcement agencies by mandating that at least $50 million annually must be allocated through grants for SRO programs. The bill modifies existing funding provisions to expand support for school safety initiatives, requiring applications from local governments or law enforcement agencies. This represents a concrete policy change in federal school safety funding levels and allocation rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases federal funding for SRO programs by $50M annually, expanding school safety budget allocations under existing appropriations.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeIncreases federal funding for school resource officers (SROs) by $50M annually, directly expanding law enforcement presence in schools under crime control framework.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases SRO funding by $50M annually for school safety initiatives, directly supporting K-12 school operations and safety programs under education-focused legislation.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement School Safety

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in committee · United States · House Sep 23, 2025

HR 5557: Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2025

The Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2025 would establish a federal grant program to fund school-based mental health services for students in grades K-12, particularly those experiencing trauma, grief, suicide risk, or violence. It directly affects schools (including Bureau of Indian Education schools), students, and community mental health providers through partnerships that must include school districts and local mental health entities. Key provisions require services to be culturally appropriate, trauma-informed, and integrated with positive behavioral supports, with grants capped at $2 million per award for 5 years (renewable) and funded at $300 million annually for 2027-2028. Recipients must report annually on program outcomes, ensure equitable access across urban and rural areas, and comply with privacy laws like HIPAA and FERPA.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFederal grants for school-based mental health services directly fund student support programs in K-12 education, advancing educational access and student well-being.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes federal grants for school-based mental health services, directly funding expanded access to mental health care for students in K-12, aligning with healthcare support indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Safety Student Health Mental Health

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