PLAN for School Safety Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 2577

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Education

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-04-01: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Last Updated

2026-03-30T18:09:47Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The "Preparing Leaders to Assess Needs for School Safety Act of 2025" (also known as the "PLAN for School Safety Act of 2025") aims to enhance school safety across the United States by creating specialized centers that offer tailored advice to schools. These centers help schools create or update safety plans using proven, research-supported methods (called "evidence-based best practices"). The focus includes preventing violence, supporting student mental health, and improving overall school environments, without promoting the use of guns.

Key Provisions

• Establishment of Centers: The Director of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will provide grants or similar funding to qualified organizations to set up, expand, or run "Regional School Safety Development Centers." These centers operate at state or regional levels and offer customized consulting to individual schools.

• Eligibility and Application Process:
• Eligible recipients include states, state education agencies, Tribal education agencies, certain colleges or universities (especially those serving minorities or Tribal communities), and Tribal Colleges or Universities.
• Applicants must show expertise in areas like school safety, positive school climate, violence prevention, suicide prevention, mental health, and security.
• Preference goes to groups already connected to local schools, particularly in rural, Tribal, low-income, or underserved areas.

• Allowed Uses of Funding:
• Create and share educational materials on best practices for school safety and mental health, targeting schools, teachers, parents, guardians, and students to raise public awareness.
• Provide one-on-one consultations to review a school's current policies and help build or refine a personalized safety plan suited to the school's age group, community needs, and development stage.
• Support plan rollout by identifying federal or state funding sources, helping schools apply for money, and offering training or resources to staff and families on the plan's rules.

• Funding Rules:
• Federal funding covers up to 95% of costs; recipients must contribute at least 5%.
• Total authorization: $25 million per year from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
• Restrictions: Funds cannot be used for gun-related training or hiring staff for the schools being advised.

• Support and Oversight:
• DHS will offer training and guidance to award recipients, working with the Secretary of Education and a new Youth Advisory Council.
• DHS must hire experts in school mental health and administration; the Department of Education will assign a staff member on a reimbursable basis.
• Youth Advisory Council: To be created within one year, including parents, experts, mental health professionals, community members, and youth (especially those affected by school violence) to advise on program rollout.

• Reporting Requirements: DHS must submit annual reports to Congress starting two years after enactment, covering award recipients, recommended safety actions, and evaluations of the centers' success in preventing violence (including self-harm) with suggestions for improvements.

• Definitions:
• "Evidence-based": Methods proven effective through research, as defined in federal education law.
• "School": Includes public and private K-12 schools, as per federal crime prevention law.
• "School safety plan": A comprehensive strategy covering staff roles, school climate, mental health support, reporting threats, emergency drills, training, site reviews, and recovery after incidents.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill adds a new section (2220F) to the Homeland Security Act of 2002, specifically to Subtitle A of Title XXII, which deals with homeland security grants. It introduces a dedicated program for school safety centers, including funding, preferences for underserved areas, and collaboration with education officials. A minor update to the Act's table of contents is also made. The changes emphasize mental health and non-firearm approaches, building on but not altering prior school safety efforts under DHS.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: DHS gains new responsibilities for grant administration, hiring, and reporting, requiring coordination with the Department of Education. This could increase workload and inter-agency collaboration but provides dedicated funding to support it. States and local education agencies may see streamlined access to federal resources for safety planning.

• On Citizens: Schools, especially in rural or low-resource areas, could develop stronger, customized safety and mental health plans, potentially reducing violence risks and improving student well-being. Parents, students, and educators benefit from increased awareness, training, and funding opportunities, fostering safer learning environments without added gun focus.

• On International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill is focused on domestic U.S. school safety.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Schools and Educators: Primary beneficiaries, receiving consultations, training, and implementation support to create effective safety plans.
• Students and Youth: Directly impacted through better mental health resources, violence prevention, and involvement via the Youth Advisory Council.
• Parents and Guardians: Gain access to awareness materials and family training on school policies.
• State, Local, and Tribal Governments/Education Agencies: Eligible for funding and responsible for regional center operations, particularly in underserved communities.
• Federal Agencies: DHS (lead administrator) and Department of Education (provides expertise and staffing).
• Higher Education Institutions: Certain colleges and Tribal schools can apply for grants and contribute expertise.
• Mental Health and Community Experts: Involved in advisory roles and program delivery.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal Implications: The bill includes a "rule of construction" clarifying that it does not override or meet requirements under key civil rights and privacy laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (protecting people with disabilities), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (banning discrimination based on race), Title IX (gender equity in education), and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (protecting student records). It also avoids conflicting with laws allowing firearm training elsewhere. This ensures the program respects existing protections without creating new liabilities.

• Constitutional Implications: As a federal grant program, it operates under Congress's spending power to promote general welfare, encouraging state and local participation without mandates (cooperative federalism). No apparent conflicts with the 10th Amendment (state powers) or First Amendment issues, given the focus on voluntary, evidence-based safety measures.

• Political Implications: Introduced with bipartisan support (sponsors from both parties), it addresses ongoing concerns about school shootings and mental health post-major incidents, potentially advancing non-partisan school safety reforms. Annual congressional reports promote accountability, which could influence future funding debates.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Rutherford, John H. [R-FL-5]

Cosponsors (27)

Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. Gonzales, Tony [R-TX-23], Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17], Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. James, John [R-MI-10], Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6], Rep. Hinson, Ashley [R-IA-2], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2], Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6], Rep. Himes, James A. [D-CT-4], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2], Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8], Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6]

Recent Actions

• 2025-04-01: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
• 2025-04-01: Introduced in House
• 2025-04-01: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Preparing Leaders to Assess Needs for School Safety Act of 2025 — issued 2025-04-01 — PDF (11 pages)