Sponsors
The bill strengthens and standardizes concussion protections and recovery supports for students—improving safety and clarity—but does so at financial and administrative cost to schools and states and risks uneven access in underserved areas.
Students (K-12) will receive clearer, enforceable concussion protections—schools must adopt concussion plans, remove suspected concussed students from play, and post evidence-based information—reducing risk of repeated injury.
Students recovering from concussions are more likely to get academic supports (progressive accommodations and referrals for IDEA/Section 504 evaluations), improving recovery and learning continuity.
Parents, school staff, and educators will receive training and clearer reporting forms, which improves early recognition, tracking, and management of concussions at school.
Schools, LEAs, and states will incur new costs for training, hiring (e.g., recovery coordinators), materials, and implementation, which could reduce funds available for other school programs and services.
Students in rural or resource-poor districts may face reduced or delayed access to concussion care and supports because the law could exclude currently relied-on staff or local clinicians who lack the specified pediatric training or formal state recognition.
States that fail to meet statutory requirements risk reductions in ESEA/federal education funding, which could lead to broader cuts to school resources serving all students statewide.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Conditions ESEA funds on states requiring LEAs to adopt evidence-based concussion safety/management plans, staff training, posting requirements, and student recovery supports.
Introduced September 18, 2025 by Richard Joseph Durbin · Last progress September 18, 2025
Requires states that receive federal elementary and secondary education funds to adopt laws or regulations so local school districts create and carry out standard concussion safety and management plans. Schools must train staff (coaches, teachers, nurses, athletic trainers, related services personnel), provide concussion supports, post evidence-based concussion information, and encourage recovery teams and academic accommodations for students with persistent symptoms. States must meet these minimum requirements no later than the last day of the fifth full fiscal year after enactment. The law preserves existing civil and criminal liability and defines key terms such as concussion, health care professional, local educational agency, and what counts as a school-sponsored athletic activity.