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119-s-5468119th CongressWALLET

Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act

Sponsored By: Senator Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]

Introduced

Summary

Ends federal support for police in K–12 and Head Start programs and would redirect federal dollars into trauma-informed mental health staff and school climate supports. The bill focuses on replacing school-based officers with counselors, social workers, and community mentors to reduce arrests and exclusionary discipline.

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  • Students and families: Would fund hiring of school counselors, psychologists, nurses, social workers, credible messengers, and other trauma-informed staff to address student needs and aim to reduce arrests, suspensions, and discipline disparities for marginalized students.
  • Local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools: LEAs could apply for competitive, rolling transition grants based on enrollment and must show no officers on campus at least 30 days before funding. Priority goes to LEAs that already ended police contracts and to those with larger shares of economically disadvantaged students.
  • Federal funding and limits: Would prohibit federal funds from hiring, maintaining, or training covered law enforcement officers in schools, including through Byrne and COPS grants. Grant money may not buy surveillance equipment, arm staff, or fund partnerships that support police presence.

*Would authorize $5.0 billion in appropriations for the transition grant program.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Ban Federal Funding for School Police

If enacted, the bill would bar any Federal funds from being appropriated or used to hire, maintain, or train state, tribal, or local law enforcement officers in K–12 schools and Head Start-funded programs. The ban would apply even to major grant programs such as COPS grants and Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants. The prohibition would cover officers assigned to, contracted with, or employed by covered schools, including school resource officers when they meet that definition.

Grants to Replace School Police

If enacted, the bill would create a competitive Department of Education grant program to help school districts replace campus police with mental-health, trauma-informed, and behavioral supports. The program would be authorized at $5 billion and grant sizes would be based on district enrollment. To get funds, a district would have to show no law enforcement officers were stationed on campus at least 30 days before the award and agree not to start new police contracts while the grant runs. Grants would pay to hire or train counselors, psychologists, social workers, credible messengers, and similar staff, and would ban spending on police partnerships, surveillance equipment, arming staff, or punitive discipline; grantees would post annual public reports on fund use and arrest/referral data, disaggregated by race, age, gender, disability, and free/reduced-price lunch eligibility, subject to privacy rules.

Which Schools and Staff Are Covered

If enacted, the bill would define which programs and people the grants and funding bans cover. "Covered programs" would include the operations of elementary and secondary schools, local educational agencies, and programs receiving Head Start assistance. A "covered law enforcement officer" would mean any State, Tribal, or local officer assigned to, contracted with, or employed by those covered programs. The bill also borrows several terms from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and defines who counts as credible messengers, positive behavioral supports, and trauma-informed services.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]

CT • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 9/23/2026

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 9/23/2026

  • Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 9/23/2026

  • Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 9/23/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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