I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8526 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide 
criteria for use of Federal funds to support trauma-informed practices 
in schools, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 23, 2024 
Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts (for herself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. QUIGLEY, 
and Ms. SALINAS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 to provide criteria for use of Federal funds 
to support trauma-informed practices in schools, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Trauma-Informed 
Schools Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTICES. 
(a) DEFINITION.—Section 8101 of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801) 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (51) and (52) 
as paragraphs (52) and (53), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (50) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(51) 
TRAUMA-INFORMED
PRACTICES.—The 
term ‘trauma-informed practices’ means— 
‘‘(A) evidence-based professional develop-
ment that promotes a shared understanding 
among teachers, teachers assistants, school 
leaders, paraprofessionals, specialized instruc-
tional support personnel, and other staff that— 
‘‘(i) adverse and potentially traumatic 
experiences are common among students; 
‘‘(ii) trauma can impact student 
learning, behavior, and relationships in 
school; 
‘‘(iii) adverse and potentially trau-
matic experiences do not inherently under-
mine the capabilities of students to reach 
high expectations in academics and life; 
‘‘(iv) school-wide learning environ-
ments where all students and adults feel 
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safe, welcomed, and supported can enable 
students to succeed despite adverse and 
potentially traumatic experiences; and 
‘‘(v) services, supports, and programs 
provided to meet individual student needs 
should be trauma-informed, where appro-
priate, and increase student connection to 
the school-wide learning environment; 
‘‘(B) adoption of disciplinary procedures 
and practices that— 
‘‘(i) accompany disciplinary actions 
with holistic assessments and positive be-
havioral interventions and supports to ad-
dress the underlying causes of student be-
havior, including trauma; 
‘‘(ii) avoid harsh, punitive, or exclu-
sionary disciplinary practices; 
‘‘(iii) utilize evidence-based restorative 
practices that build a culture of trust; and 
‘‘(iv) do not discriminate on the basis 
of race, color, national origin, sex (includ-
ing sexual orientation or gender identity), 
disability, English proficiency status, mi-
grant status, or age consistent with the 
Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 
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U.S.C. 6101 et seq.), title VI of the Civil 
Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et 
seq.), title IX of the Education Amend-
ments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), 
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 
1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 
et seq.), and the Individuals with Disabil-
ities Education Act (42 U.S.C. 1400 et 
seq.); and 
‘‘(C) activities that engage teachers, teach-
ers assistants, school leaders, paraprofessionals, 
specialized 
instructional 
support 
personnel, 
other staff, and families in a process of school- 
based planning to— 
‘‘(i) promote a school-wide culture of 
acceptance; 
‘‘(ii) help all students feel safe and 
connected to the school community; 
‘‘(iii) support all students to form 
positive relationships with adults and 
peers, understand and manage emotions, 
achieve success academically and in extra- 
curricular areas, and experience physical 
and psychological health and well being; 
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‘‘(iv) promote teamwork and effective 
communication among all staff and shared 
responsibility for every student; 
‘‘(v) integrate evidence-based practices 
that build social-emotional skills into rig-
orous academic instruction; and 
‘‘(vi) recognize and prevent adult im-
plicit bias.’’. 
(b) STATE PLAN.—Section 1111(g)(1)(C) of such 
Act (20 U.S.C. 6311(g)(1)(C)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘reducing’’; 
(2) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘reducing’’ before 
‘‘incidences’’; 
(3) in clause (ii)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘reducing’’ before ‘‘the 
overuse’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘and’’; 
(4) in clause (iii)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘reducing’’ before ‘‘the 
use’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘and’’ after ‘‘safety;’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iv) increasing the prevalence of 
trauma-informed practices;’’. 
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(c) PLAN PROVISIONS.—Section 1112(b) of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
6312(b)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (12) and (13) 
as paragraphs (13) and (14), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (11) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(12) how the local educational agency will sup-
port efforts to increase the prevalence of trauma-in-
formed practices;’’. 
(d) 
SCHOOLWIDE
PROGRAM.—Section 
1114(b)(7)(A)(iii) 
of 
such 
Act 
(20 
U.S.C. 
6314(b)(7)(A)(iii)) is amended— 
(1) in subclause (IV), by striking at the end 
‘‘and’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(VI) 
the 
implementation 
of 
trauma-informed practices; and’’. 
(e) TRAINING.—Section 2101 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 
6611) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(4)(B)— 
(A) by redesignating clauses (xv) through 
(xxi) as clauses (xvi) through (xxii), respec-
tively; and 
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(B) by inserting after clause (xiv) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(xv) Providing training for all teach-
ers, school leaders, paraprofessionals, and 
specialized instructional support personnel 
on trauma-informed practices.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d)(2)— 
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (K) 
through (M) as subparagraphs (L) through (N) 
respectively; and 
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (J) 
the following: 
‘‘(K) A description of how the State edu-
cational agency will use funds under this part 
to increase the prevalence of trauma-informed 
practices.’’. 
(f) LOCAL USE OF FUNDS.—Section 2103(b)(3)(I) of 
such Act (20 U.S.C. 6613(b)(3)(I)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating clauses (i) through (iv) as 
clauses (ii) through (v); and 
(2) by inserting before clause (ii), as redesig-
nated, the following: 
‘‘(i) trauma-informed practices;’’. 
(g) STATE ACTIVITIES.—Section 4104(b)(3)(B)(ii) of 
such Act (20 U.S.C. 7114(b)(3)(B)(ii)) is amended— 
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(1) in subclause (I), by striking at the end 
‘‘or’’; 
(2) in subclause (II), by inserting ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; and 
(3) by inserting at the end the following: 
‘‘(III) increase the prevalence of 
trauma-informed practices;’’. 
(h) STATE APPLICATION.—Section 4203(a)(6) of 
such Act (20 U.S.C. 7173(a)(6)) is amended by striking 
‘‘development;’’ and inserting ‘‘development, which may 
include professional development on trauma-informed 
practices;’’. 
(i) 
DESCRIPTION
OF
PLAN.—Section 
4303(f)(1)(A)(viii) 
of 
such 
Act 
(20 
U.S.C. 
7221b(f)(1)(A)(viii)) is amended— 
(1) in subclause (I), by striking at the end 
‘‘and’’; 
(2) in subclause (II), by inserting ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; and 
(3) by inserting at the end the following: 
‘‘(III) adopting trauma-informed 
practices.’’. 
(j) 
APPLICATION
REQUIREMENTS.—Section 
4305(b)(3)(B)(ii) 
of 
such 
Act 
(20 
U.S.C. 
7221d(b)(3)(B)(ii)) is amended— 
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(1) in subclause (II), by striking ‘‘and’’; 
(2) in subclause (III), by inserting ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; and 
(3) by inserting at the end the following: 
‘‘(IV) the discipline practices that 
will be used, including a description of 
whether such practices are consistent 
with trauma-informed practices;’’. 
Æ 
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