Sponsors (2)
The bill expands and makes federal support for educator wellness and workplace improvements scalable, improving staff wellbeing and retention, while creating additional administrative burdens for education agencies and potential increases in federal spending.
Teachers and other school personnel nationwide gain access to federally funded mental, emotional, and physical wellness programs for FY2026–FY2030, supporting stress management and job satisfaction.
States and school districts can use Title II funds to improve workplace conditions and access to support, which is likely to reduce educator burnout and improve staff retention.
The federal authorization removes fixed-dollar caps and permits 'such sums as may be necessary' for national activities and wellness grants through 2026–2030, allowing funding to scale with demonstrated need.
State and district education agencies and schools will face increased reporting and administrative requirements from the new allowable uses and grant program, creating added compliance burdens.
Authorizing open-ended 'such sums as may be necessary' could lead to increased federal spending, contributing to budgetary pressures and competing priorities for taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 1 section of legislative text.
Adds a new Title II Part C to authorize state grants for school personnel wellness and updates Title II authorization years to FY2026–FY2030.
Official title: To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to State educational agencies to carry out wellness programs for school personnel, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 7, 2026 by Shontel M. Brown · Last progress May 7, 2026
Authorizes ongoing funding and creates a new grant program for states to support wellness programs for school personnel for fiscal years 2026–2030. It updates existing Title II ESEA authorization and allotment timeframes to FY2026–FY2030, permits "such sums as may be necessary" for national activities and the new grants, adds local allowable uses for programs that improve the mental, emotional, and physical well‑being of school staff, and requires states to include summaries of local programs in annual reports to the Secretary of Education. The bill expands permissible local uses of Title II funds to include activities such as stress management, improving workplace conditions, enhanced access to supports, and measures to increase job satisfaction for school personnel, while aligning reporting and hold‑harmless/allotment language with the new authorization period.