Safer Schools Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Williams, Roger [R-TX-25]
Introduced
Summary
Federal pilot grants for school security improvements would create two grant tracks for independent facility risk assessments and for hard security upgrades to fix vulnerabilities. The program prioritizes public schools that have experienced deadly violence and sets aside multi-year funding for a five-year pilot.
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- Public schools and districts: Schools could apply for assessment grants and for hard-security grants. Applicants must provide school size and a financial report, and assessment grants are generally limited to one every five years unless an incident creates an exception.
- Students and families: Grants must fund fixes identified by independent assessments, including at least one panic alarm that alerts the nearest local law enforcement agency if no operable alarm exists. Recipients must report on vulnerabilities fixed and on changes in safety perception after improvements.
- Local law enforcement and school vendors: Grantees must get written confirmation from the local law enforcement agency that a proposed improvement mitigates the identified vulnerability before contracting. The Attorney General must notify eligible schools within 30 days after deadly events, offer technical assistance, and publish national and school-level reports on grant results.
*Would authorize $1.2 billion in federal funding over five years, with 30% for risk assessments and 70% for hard security improvements.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Five-year school safety pilot funding
If enacted, the Attorney General would set up a school security pilot within 120 days. The pilot would get $100 million in year 1, $200 million in year 2, and $300 million each year in years 3–5. Each year's money would be split 30% for independent security assessments and 70% for hard security upgrades. The pilot would end five years after it starts.
Grants for school hard security
If enacted, the Attorney General would award grants to public schools for hard security upgrades beginning within 180 days. Applications would need school size, a full financial report, prior security work, cost estimates, and the latest independent assessment. The federal share could not exceed 50 percent of project costs, but the Attorney General could waive that match for financial need. Schools that had deadly or attempted deadly events would get priority. Grants must pay for upgrades identified in the assessment, require a panic alarm if none is operable, get written law enforcement confirmation before vendor contracts, and meet local building codes.
Grants for independent school assessments
If enacted, the Attorney General would award grants beginning within 180 days to public schools for independent facility security risk assessments. Applications must state school size, include a detailed financial report, and certify the school cannot cover the assessment cost without the grant. Priority would go to schools that experienced deadly or attempted deadly events. Schools that got an assessment grant in the past five fiscal years generally could not get another, except after such an event.
School security reporting and rules
If enacted, the bill would define key terms for the pilot and set reporting and notice rules. The Attorney General would tell each local education agency about grant availability. Within 30 days after a deadly event, the Director would call the school head to offer priority eligibility and technical help. Grant winners would report one year later on assessment results, fixes made, remaining vulnerabilities, recent events, and a safety survey. The Attorney General would give Congress a national report two years after enactment and every year after.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Williams, Roger [R-TX-25]
TX • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23]
FL • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Davis (NC)
NC • D
Sponsored 1/9/2026
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov