Federal funds would be barred from paying for school police

Federal funds could not be set aside or spent to hire, keep, or train covered officers. The rule covers elementary and secondary schools, local school agencies, and programs serving children through Head Start funding. This covers state, tribal, and local officers assigned to, contracted with, or employed by a covered program, including school resource officers who meet that definition.

If Congress provides the money, the Education Secretary would award competitive grants to eligible local school agencies. Local school agencies could seek grants to replace officers in elementary and secondary schools with support staff and change safety and discipline rules. Applicants must promise that no covered officers will be stationed on school campuses. They cannot sign new police contracts or create school police departments during the grant. The bill authorizes $5 billion for the grants, but Congress would still need to provide the money. Covered officers must be off school campuses at least 30 days before an agency receives grant funds.

Grant recipients would hire, keep, or train student support staff and could pay for other student support programs. These spending rules apply to local school agencies that receive transition grants. Recipients could also pay for positive behavior programs, restorative programs, and staff training. They could not use grant money for school discipline rules focused on punishment, police partnerships, surveillance tools, or arming school staff. Grant money must add to state and local money already available for these activities.

Grant recipients would publish yearly reports on spending, student arrests and police referrals, and surveillance. The reporting duty applies to local school agencies that receive grants. Reports must compare the number and share of students arrested or referred to police with the previous year, give overall reasons for arrests, and show figures by race, disability, and other listed traits. Agencies need not collect or break out those figures if doing so would identify a student or violate privacy laws. Agencies receiving grants must make a report public each year.