Sponsors (6)
The bill aims to expand culturally competent mental-health services and restorative practices to improve student well-being and disciplinary equity, but delivers mostly guidance rather than guaranteed funding—creating potential local costs and implementation gaps that could limit results without further investment or action.
Students of color (racial-ethnic minorities) will gain greater access to culturally competent mental and behavioral health services through expanded guidance and training materials.
Students and schools will receive recommended psychologist-to-student and counselor-to-student ratios and related guidance, which can lower caseloads, speed access to counseling, and improve teacher consultation.
Students (especially marginalized groups) and educators will get standardized definitions, training, and support for restorative practices and culturally competent professional development, which can reduce suspensions, narrow disciplinary disparities, and improve classroom climate.
Local school districts and local taxpayers may face increased costs to implement expanded mental-health services and professional development, potentially raising taxes or forcing trade-offs in other school services.
Rural and underfunded districts may be unable to meet recommended staffing ratios, straining limited resources and possibly reducing other programs or services for students.
Establishing and staffing the Commission and related administrative work creates federal administrative costs that may require additional appropriations or reallocation of Education/HHS resources.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Establishes an interagency commission to define restorative practices, produce training materials, recommend culturally competent school mental-health supports, and suggest counselor/psychologist staffing ratios.
Official title: To authorize the Secretary of Education, in collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to establish an interagency advisory Commission on Advancing Restorative Justice in Elementary and Secondary Education, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 16, 2026 by Bonnie Watson Coleman · Last progress April 16, 2026
Creates an interagency advisory commission to develop definitions, guidelines, training materials, and recommendations to expand culturally competent restorative practices and school-based mental health supports for K–12 students, with a focus on reducing disciplinary disparities affecting students of color. The commission must be established within 90 days, meet multiple times, deliver annual reports for four years and a final report, and then terminate shortly after its final report.