Summary

Requires state educational agencies to keep state funding for school resource officer (SRO) programs at or above a defined baseline in order to receive the full amount of federal education funds. States must certify compliance and publish an annual report showing SRO funding and the number of SROs for the current and prior five fiscal years. If a state fails to meet the funding baseline and does not obtain a waiver, the Department of Education must reduce that state's federal education funds for the following year by an amount proportional to the shortfall; waivers may be granted for extraordinary financial circumstances such as severe economic downturns or natural disasters.

Key Points

• Conditions full federal education funding on states maintaining a defined baseline of state SRO funding.
• Requires annual public reports from state education agencies showing SRO funding and number of SROs for current and prior five fiscal years.
• States must certify compliance; failure to comply can trigger proportional reductions in federal education funds the next year.
• The Secretary of Education may grant waivers for extraordinary financial circumstances (e.g., severe downturns or natural disasters).
• No new federal appropriation is created; the mechanism ties existing federal funds to a state funding requirement.
• Imposes reporting and administrative responsibilities on state educational agencies.
• Penalties are proportional to a state's shortfall rather than an all-or-nothing disqualification.
• Targets state-level budget decisions, potentially shifting local school/district priorities based on funding conditions.

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