To prohibit the use of corporal punishment in schools, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Protecting our Students in Schools Act bans corporal punishment (hitting, paddling, chemical sprays, electroshock) in all schools receiving federal financial assistance. It creates enforcement through the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights and allows parents to sue for damages. The bill also establishes grants for states to implement positive behavioral interventions like restorative justice and trauma-informed care.
Who Benefits and How
Students benefit from legal protection against physical punishment and access to schools with better discipline approaches. Parents gain the right to sue schools and receive 24-hour notification if corporal punishment occurs. State and local education agencies can receive grants to implement positive behavioral intervention programs.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Schools and school districts face new compliance requirements, potential loss of federal funding for violations, and civil liability for corporal punishment. States must submit annual school climate reports and train personnel. Private schools and home schools are exempted if they do not receive federal funds.
Key Provisions
- Bans corporal punishment in all federally-funded schools with civil penalties and right to sue
- Requires 24-hour parent notification and reporting to state agencies when corporal punishment occurs
- Creates grants for states to implement positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS)
- Requires state educational agencies to submit annual school climate reports and train staff
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Prohibits corporal punishment in all schools receiving federal funds, creates enforcement mechanisms, and establishes grant programs to improve school climate through positive behavioral interventions
Key Policy Areas
Education, Civil Rights, Child Welfare, School Safety
Primary Purpose
Prohibits corporal punishment in all schools receiving federal funds, creates enforcement mechanisms, and establishes grant programs to improve school climate through positive behavioral interventions
Policy Domains
Title I - Prohibition of Corporal Punishment
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Students in public schools
- Parents and guardians
- Disability advocacy organizations
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- School districts and programs
- School administrators
- Department of Education Office for Civil Rights
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title II - State Plans and Grants
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- State educational agencies
- Local educational agencies
- Students experiencing exclusionary discipline
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- State educational agencies
- School districts
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title III - Miscellaneous
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Private schools not receiving federal funds
- Home school families
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- DoD Education Activity schools
- Bureau of Indian Education schools
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMs. Bonamici (for herself, Mrs. McBath, Ms. Wilson of Florida, …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Home school families, Military-connected students, Native American students in BIE schools
Educational programs receiving federal funds, PBIS and restorative justice training providers, Private schools not receiving federal funds
Positive-direction: PBIS and restorative justice training providers, Private schools not receiving federal funds
Negative-direction: Educational programs receiving federal funds, School administrators, School personnel, School program personnel, School programs violating corporal punishment ban, School programs violating the ban
Bureau of Indian Education schools, Department of Defense Education Activity schools, Department of Education
Department of Education faces effects in multiple directions
Local educational agencies, State educational agencies
Local educational agencies, State educational agencies face effects in multiple directions
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Education
- "the_attorney_general"
- → Attorney General
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Education
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Education
- "secretary_of_defense"
- → Secretary of Defense
- "secretary_of_interior"
- → Secretary of the Interior
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
A deliberate act causing a student physical pain for discipline purposes, including striking, spanking, paddling, requiring painful positions, or use of chemical sprays, electroshock weapons, or stun guns
Any disciplinary action removing a student from usual educational setting including in-school suspensions, out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, or any other removal resulting in lost instructional time
A schoolwide systematic approach embedding evidence-based practices and data-driven decision making to improve school climate and achieve improved academic and social outcomes for all students
Any agent of a program including employees and contractors such as school leaders, teachers, paraprofessionals, and other staff, but excluding law enforcement officers and school security guards
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology