I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION H. R. 10189 
To authorize the Secretary of Education, in collaboration with the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services, to establish an interagency advisory 
Commission on Advancing Restorative Justice in Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 20, 2024 
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN (for herself, Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania, Mr. JACKSON 
of Illinois, Mr. FROST, Mr. THANEDAR, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Ms. 
KELLY of Illinois, Ms. TLAIB, and Mr. CARTER of Louisiana) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
the Workforce 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Education, in collaboration 
with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to 
establish an interagency advisory Commission on Advanc-
ing Restorative Justice in Elementary and Secondary 
Education, 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 ‘‘Commission on Ad-
vancing Restorative Justice in Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Students of color often experience harsher 
disciplinary measures and greater barriers to edu-
cational opportunities due to racial and gender bi-
ases embedded into school codes of conduct, dis-
cipline policies, and dress code policies. 
(2) Racial and gender biases in school discipline 
practices and limited requirements in educator prep-
aration and professional development all influence 
how school personal react to behavior by students of 
color. 
(3) Improved and increased opportunities for 
culturally competence professional development pro-
grams can help teachers and related school per-
sonnel more effectively respond to student behavior 
misbehavior and thereby decrease the disparity be-
tween how Black and White students are disciplined. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purposes of this Act are the fol-
lowing: 
(1) To support the mental and behavioral 
health of students of color. 
(2) To increase capacity for providing mental 
health support and counseling services that are ac-
cessible, culturally competent, and responsive to the 
needs of students of color. 
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(3) To provide recommendations on universal 
school psychologist-to-student ratio and Counselor- 
to-student ratio to ensure evidence-based healthy 
school climate interventions, accessible mental health 
support, program evaluation, and teacher consulta-
tion. 
(4) To codify restorative-level practices that 
create equitable learning environments, develop-
mental relationships, and build academic engage-
ment. 
SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY ADVISORY COMMISSION ON ADVANC-
ING RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN ELEMENTARY 
AND SECONDARY EDUCATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in col-
laboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices, shall establish a commission to be known as the 
Interagency Advisory Commission on Advancing Restora-
tive Justice in Elementary and Secondary Education (in 
this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
(b) DUTIES.—The duties of the Commission shall be 
to— 
(1) create guidelines for elementary schools and 
secondary schools to track and report the groups of 
students who most frequently participate in medi-
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ation, restorative practices, and other similar prac-
tices; 
(2) develop definitions of the terms ‘‘restorative 
justice’’ and ‘‘restorative practices’’ to be used by 
the Department of Education; 
(3) develop and distribute training materials for 
school personnel that— 
(A) include practices that align with the 
definitions developed pursuant to paragraph 
(2); and 
(B) provide information on emotional and 
social disruptions and delays, accountability 
checks, peer discussions, and other classroom 
approaches that reduce bias, enhance cultural 
competency, and allow for critical reflection; 
(4) increase the ability of school personnel to 
provide mental health support and counseling serv-
ices that are accessible, culturally competent, and re-
sponsive to the needs of students of color; and 
(5) develop and recommend, to elementary 
schools and secondary schools that receive funds 
under an applicable program, school psychologist-to- 
student and counselor-to-student ratios that ensure 
lower caseloads, evidence-based school climate inter-
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ventions, accessible mental health support, program 
evaluation, and teacher consultation. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Com-
mission shall be composed of not more than 13 
members, appointed not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act by the Secretary, 
in collaboration with the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, as follows: 
(A) 1 member from each of the following: 
(i) The Office of Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education of the Department of 
Education. 
(ii) The Office of Special Education 
and Rehabilitative Services of the Depart-
ment of Education. 
(iii) The Office for Civil Rights of the 
Department of Education. 
(iv) The Office of Early Childhood 
Development of the Department of Health 
and Human Services. 
(v) The Office of Child Supportive 
Services of the Department of Health and 
Human Services. 
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(vi) The White House Initiative on 
Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, 
and Economic Opportunity for Black 
Americans. 
(vii) An organization that represents 
restorative justice and the behavioral 
health of young students of color. 
(viii) An organization that advocates 
for mental health services and suicide pre-
vention in elementary schools and sec-
ondary schools. 
(ix) An organization representing sec-
ondary and postsecondary students of color 
with special education needs. 
(x) An organization representing psy-
chological and counseling directors at ele-
mentary schools and secondary schools. 
(B) 1 member who is a scholarly expert 
and practitioner in the areas of schooling expe-
riences of students of color and equity and 
school discipline reform. 
(C) 2 members who are— 
(i) students of color; or 
(ii) family members of such students. 
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(2) CHAIRPERSON; VICE
CHAIRPERSON.—The 
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Commis-
sion shall be selected from among the members by 
the Secretary. 
(3) RATES OF PAY.—Members shall serve with-
out pay. 
(4) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—Each member shall 
receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(d) MEETINGS.— 
(1) INITIAL MEETING.—The Commission shall 
meet not later than 60 days after the appointment 
of the members of the Commission under subsection 
(c). 
(2) ADDITIONAL MEETINGS.—After the initial 
meeting required under paragraph (1), the Commis-
sion shall meet no fewer than 7 times at the call of 
the Chairperson. 
(e) STAFF.—The Secretary may appoint personnel as 
the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(f) REPORTS.— 
(1) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date on which all members are appointed 
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under subsection (c), and on an annual basis for 
each of the 4 years thereafter, the Commission shall 
submit to the Secretary, the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, the Committee on Health, Edu-
cation, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, and the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
House of Representatives a report on the progress of 
the Commission, including— 
(A) a summary of the information gath-
ered pursuant to carrying out the duties de-
scribed in subsection (b), including any conclu-
sions reached from such information; 
(B) a description of how the training mate-
rials developed under subsection (b)(3)— 
(i) were distributed by the Commis-
sion, including with respect to how such 
distribution focused on students of color; 
and 
(ii) increased the cultural competence 
of school personnel and reduced dispropor-
tionate discipline of students of color, as 
compared to before the distribution of such 
materials; 
(C) a description of the efforts taken to in-
crease the ability of school personnel to provide 
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the mental health support and counseling serv-
ices described in subsection (b)(4); and 
(D) a description of the steps taken to— 
(i) increase the capacity of school psy-
chologists and counselors in the ways de-
scribed in subsection (b)(5); and 
(ii) reduce disproportionate discipline. 
(2) FINAL
REPORT.—The final report sub-
mitted under paragraph (1) shall include, in addition 
to the information required under such paragraph, 
the final findings, conclusions, and recommendations 
of the Commission. 
(g) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 
90 days after submitting the final report described in sub-
section (f)(2). 
(h) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) APPLICABLE PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘appli-
cable program’’ has the meaning given such term in 
section 400(c) of the General Education Provisions 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1221(c)). 
(2) ESEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘elementary 
school’’, ‘‘secondary school’’, and ‘‘Secretary’’ have 
the meanings given such terms in section 8101 of 
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the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
Æ 
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