Sponsors (28)
The bill invests federal funds to create regional centers that help schools—especially underserved ones—develop evidence-based safety and mental-health plans and training, improving preparedness and equity, while imposing modest new federal costs, potential access barriers for low-resourced applicants, and administrative and implementation burdens.
Schools (K–12 and higher ed), students, and educators receive tailored consulting and technical assistance to develop and implement individualized, evidence-based safety and student mental health plans.
Rural, Tribal, low-resourced, and minority-serving schools are prioritized for support and funding, increasing equity in access to safety and mental-health resources.
Families and school staff are provided training and resources on plan policies and procedures, improving preparedness, communication, and response during incidents.
Taxpayers fund a new federal program ($25M/year FY2026–2030), increasing federal spending that could crowd out other priorities.
Grants may require at least a 5% recipient match, which could strain or exclude low-resourced schools and communities from participating.
Implementation depends on DHS/FEMA hiring subject-matter staff and interagency coordination, risking delays in rollout and reduced effectiveness early on.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a DHS/FEMA grant program to fund Regional School Safety Development Centers that provide tailored safety and student mental health planning, training, and technical assistance to schools.
Introduced April 1, 2025 by John Henry Rutherford · Last progress April 1, 2025
Creates a federal grant/cooperative agreement program administered by the Department (DHS/FEMA) to fund statewide or intrastate Regional School Safety Development Centers that provide customized consulting, planning, training, and technical assistance to schools for school safety and student mental health. Applicants must demonstrate expertise in comprehensive school safety and related practices; awards prioritize organizations with existing relationships with local schools, especially those serving rural, Tribal, low-resourced, or minority-serving institutions, and federal funding may cover up to 95% of project costs.