Bill would bar physical punishment in federally funded schools

The bill would bar school staff, law enforcement officers, and school security guards from using corporal punishment on students. It would cover students enrolled in covered programs. The ban would apply at programs that receive federal financial assistance. The bill defines corporal punishment as deliberate physical pain used for discipline, including striking, painful positions, or chemical sprays. The bill states no start date for this provision; it would require enactment before taking effect.

A program would have to report corporal punishment incidents in writing, and the federal government could investigate complaints and enforce the ban. These provisions would apply to covered programs and students, including students with disabilities. Programs would have to notify the student's parents, state education agency, and local law enforcement agency within 24 hours. For a student with a disability, the program would also notify the relevant protection and advocacy system within 24 hours and provide information it requests. The Secretary would have to refer complaints to the Education Department's civil rights office. If a program failed to comply, the Secretary would use at least one listed enforcement measure. The Secretary would have to set up a process for receiving complaints within 90 days after enactment.

State education agencies would submit assurances and school climate reports, and local education agencies would report information the state needs. The requirements would cover state education agencies receiving federal assistance and local education agencies. States that already prohibited corporal punishment before enactment would provide assurance that programs were notified; other states would also assure that staff were trained and parents informed of their rights and remedies. Reports would describe discipline policies, efforts to reduce exclusionary discipline, and support and training for school staff. The Secretary would publish the state reports and send a summary to Congress. The first submissions would be due within one year after enactment. Submissions would then be annual for three years, followed by at least one every two years.

The Education Secretary could award grants to states for staff training and other work to improve school climate and reduce exclusionary discipline. The grants would support state education agencies and, through subgrants, local education agencies and public elementary and secondary schools. Grants could be made only from amounts appropriated for the bill; the bill authorizes Congress to provide money but does not itself provide a specific amount. States could give competitive subgrants to local education agencies. Grant work would include training, technical help, and developing and evaluating approaches. States seeking a later grant would have to show effective use of the prior grant and a decrease in at least one listed discipline or law enforcement measure. Each grant would last three years. A state seeking another grant would have to apply and meet the bill's performance conditions.