Counseling Not Criminalization: Shifting School Funds from Police to Support Services.
This Act aims to redirect federal funds from police presence in schools towards evidence-based and trauma-informed support services. The goal is to improve academic outcomes and create safer, more welcoming environments for all students, especially marginalized groups, by reducing arrests and referrals to law enforcement.
Key points
Prohibits the use of federal funds for hiring, maintaining, or training police officers in schools.
Establishes a grant program for schools that remove police, enabling them to hire counselors, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and de-escalation specialists.
Prioritizes schools with a higher share of economically disadvantaged students and those that have already terminated police contracts.
Forbids the use of grant funds for zero-tolerance policies, surveillance equipment (e.g., metal detectors, facial recognition), or arming school personnel.
Requires schools to report on student arrests and law enforcement referrals, disaggregated by demographic data.
Expired
Additional Information
Print number: 117_HR_4011
Sponsor: Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
Process start date: 2021-06-17