Federal RuleAug 21
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119-hr-3265119th CongressWALLET
Protecting our Students in Schools Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
Introduced
Summary
Ban on corporal punishment: This bill would ban corporal punishment in any program that receives Federal financial assistance. It would push schools toward restorative justice, trauma‑informed care, and positive behavioral interventions while funding grants, enforcement, and reporting to reduce exclusionary and aversive discipline.
Show full summary
- Students and families: Would create a private right of action so a student or parent can sue a program that uses corporal punishment and affirms nondiscrimination protections across sex, gender identity, race, disability, and other categories.
- State and local schools: Would require State and local education agencies to develop and implement PBIS and related evidence‑based models, collect and report disaggregated discipline data, and be eligible for three‑year grants to fund restorative, trauma‑informed, and implicit bias training.
- Federal enforcement and scope: Would direct the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to lead enforcement and allow the Attorney General to bring civil suits, require regulations within 180 days and an OCR referral timeline of 90 days, and apply to DoDEA and Department of the Interior schools while leaving private non‑federally funded schools and homeschools unaffected.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Ban on hitting students in federally funded schools
This bill would ban corporal punishment in any school program that gets federal money. It would cover public school districts, Head Start, vocational systems, and some private schools that enroll students who receive special education services. Teachers, staff, assigned police, and security guards at these programs would be barred from using corporal punishment. Defense and Interior‑run schools for military‑connected students would have to follow the rules. Private schools with no federal support and home schools would not be affected.
Families can sue; Justice Department can act
If a student is hit, the student or a parent would be able to sue in state or federal court. They could seek a court order to stop it, money for harm, and payment of attorney and expert fees. If parents file a signed complaint and the Justice Department finds it has merit, the Department could sue in federal court after giving notice and time to fix the problem.
Fast notice to parents after incidents
If a student is physically punished, the school would have to notify the parent, the state education agency, and local police in writing within 24 hours. If the student has a disability, the school would also have to notify the state protection and advocacy system within 24 hours and provide any information it requests. This would help families get quick monitoring and advocacy support.
Grants to improve school climate
The bill would allow grants to states starting in fiscal year 2025 to reduce suspensions and improve school climate. States could fund districts to train staff and use positive behavior supports, restorative practices, trauma‑informed care, and de‑escalation. Grants would last three years and favor states with high discipline rates or limited supports. To get more grants later, states would need to show progress using data broken out by race, gender, disability, and English‑learner status. Funding would happen only if Congress appropriates the money.
Federal rules, complaints, and penalties
The Education Department would have to set up a complaint intake within 90 days and send complaints to the Office for Civil Rights. The Secretary would need to issue implementing rules within 180 days using negotiated rulemaking. If a program or state fails to comply, the Secretary could stop federal payments, make a compliance agreement, or issue cease‑and‑desist orders. If the program fixes the problem within one year after payments were first stopped, the Secretary would have to end the hold and repay the withheld money. Returned funds could be spent by the program for one year after that determination.
States must notify and report
States that get federal education money would need to give written assurances and file school climate reports. States without a prior ban would have to tell schools, train staff, notify parents, and post the notice online. Reports would be due within one year after enactment, then yearly for three years, and then at least every two years. Local districts would have to send the state the needed information.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
OR • D
Cosponsors
Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6]
GA • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
IL • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]
FL • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]
VA • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20]
FL • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]
MA • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]
CT • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
MA • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
PA • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/13/2025
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 5/15/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov