A Democratic bill with 18 Democratic cosponsors · See all 19 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act aims to staff high-need public elementary and secondary schools with mental health services providers. The bill provides for grants to States, which are then distributed as subgrants to local educational agencies to recruit and retain staff or contract with community centers. These funds are intended to help schools meet recommended student-to-provider ratios for counselors, psychologists, and social workers. The program includes specific reservations for the Bureau of Indian Education and outlying areas. States must match their received grant amounts with 20 percent of their own funds. The Act authorizes $5,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +9
Would children be better off under this?
The bill provides essential mental health services and staff to support the well-being of children in schools.
- Scored +9
Does this put more money into public schools?
The bill provides $5 billion in grants to states to fund mental health services in public elementary and secondary schools.
- Scored +8
Would students be better off under this?
The bill increases student access to counselors, psychologists, and social workers to support mental health.
The opposite
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes $5,000,000,000 in new federal spending for mental health services.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased access to mental health support: The bill helps high-need schools recruit and retain providers like school counselors, psychologists, and social workers to assist students (Section 4(e)(1)).
-
Improved student-to-provider ratios: The funding aims to move schools toward recommended maximum ratios, such as 250 students per school counselor, 500 per school psychologist, and 250 per school social worker (Section 4(e)(1)(B)).
-
Support for specific populations: The bill reserves funds specifically for schools operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Education and for outlying areas (Section 4(a)(1)).
-
Priority for low-income communities: Local educational agencies are encouraged to prioritize assisting high-need schools that serve a significant number of students from low-income families (Section 4(e)(3)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Financial burden on States: To receive a grant, a State must agree to provide matching funds equal to 20 percent of the grant amount (Section 4(c)).
-
Administrative requirements: States and local educational agencies must deal with various application processes, annual reporting requirements, and providing data on student-to-provider ratios (Sections 4(d), 4(e)(1), and 4(g)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — The bill provides essential mental health services and staff to support the well-being of children in schools. Would students be better off under this? — The bill increases student access to counselors, psychologists, and social workers to support mental health. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill reserves specific funds for schools operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Education. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill directs priority to schools serving a high number of students from low-income families.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into public schools? — The bill provides $5 billion in grants to states to fund mental health services in public elementary and secondary schools.
- Healthcare
- Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill funds the recruitment and retention of school-based mental health providers to improve access for students.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill prioritizes assisting high-need schools that serve a significant number of students from low-income families.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes $5,000,000,000 in new federal spending for mental health services.
- 6/22/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/21/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 18 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Michael BennetDemocrat · Colorado
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Christopher CoonsDemocrat · Delaware
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
John FettermanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Martin HeinrichDemocrat · New Mexico
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Angus KingIndependent · Maine
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Christopher MurphyDemocrat · Connecticut
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
John ReedDemocrat · Rhode Island
Jeanne ShaheenDemocrat · New Hampshire
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon