Congress studies how to fix racial bias in school discipline
H.R. 8360 — Commission on Advancing Restorative Justice in Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2026 · Filed by Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) · 6 cosponsors · Introduced Apr 16, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a temporary federal commission to study and develop guidelines for restorative justice practices in K-12 schools, with a focus on reducing racial and gender disparities in school discipline. The commission will develop training materials for teachers, recommend student-to-counselor and student-to-psychologist ratios, and report annually on progress toward equitable discipline practices and improved mental health support for students of color.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to establish a temporary advisory commission tasked with studying restorative justice practices and racial discipline disparities in schools. It is research and recommendation-focused, not a direct funding or regulatory mandate.
What the text implies
- The commission's recommendations on psychologist-to-student and counselor-to-student ratios, while evidence-based, may create pressure on school districts to hire more mental health staff—a potential unfunded mandate if federal funding does not follow.
- The bill requires schools to 'track and report' students participating in restorative practices, which could create new data-collection burdens and privacy considerations if not carefully implemented.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
mental health service providers; school counseling and psychology professional organizations; educational consulting firms specializing in restorative justice training