HR 160 — Ending Corporal Punishment in Schools Act of 2017

Summary

Ending Corporal Punishment in Schools Act of 2017 This bill amends the General Education Provisions Act to prohibit the Department of Education (ED) from providing funding to any state or local educational agency (LEA) that allows its school personnel to inflict corporal punishment upon a student. ED may award three-year grants to states or LEAs to assist them with improving school climate and culture. Grants must be used to implement school-wide positive behavior programs.

Bill Text

• Introduced Introduced in House Current html January 03, 2017

From the bill's own amending language, matched to the official United States Code (current through Public Law 119-121).

Also cites: 20 U.S.C. § 1221, 20 U.S.C. § 1234d, 20 U.S.C. § 1234e, 20 U.S.C. § 1234f, 20 U.S.C. § 7801, 42 U.S.C. § 15043

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes a prohibition against corporal punishment in schools and sets conditions for funding based on compliance with this prohibition.

• 20 U.S.C. 1232f

  SEC. 448. PROHIBITION AGAINST CORPORAL PUNISHMENT. (a) General Prohibition.--No funds shall be made available under any applicable program to any educational agency or institution, including a local educational agency or State educational agency, that has a policy or practice which allows school personnel to inflict corporal punishment upon a student-- (1) as a form of punishment; or (2) for the purpose of modifying undesirable behavior. (b) Local Educational Agencies.-- (1) In general.--In the case of an applicable program under which a local educational agency may only receive funds through a State educational agency that is prohibited under subsection (a) from receiving funds under any applicable program, a local educational agency that is not prohibited under subsection (a) from receiving such funds may apply directly to the Secretary to receive funds under the program. (2) Certification.--Each local educational agency applying directly to the Secretary under paragraph (1) shall certify in such application that the agency is not prohibited under subsection (a) from receiving funds under any applicable program. (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude school personnel from using, within the scope of employment, reasonable restraint to the lightest possible degree upon a student, if-- (1) the student's behavior poses an imminent danger of physical injury to the student, school personnel, or others; (2) less restrictive interventions would be ineffective in stopping such imminent danger of physical injury; and (3) the reasonable restraint ends immediately upon the cessation of the conditions described in paragraphs (1) and (2). (d) Definitions.--For purposes of this section-- (1) the term `corporal punishment' has the meaning given such term in section 12 of the Ending Corporal Punishment in Schools Act of 2017; (2) the term `educational agency or institution' means any public or private agency or institution which is the recipient, or serves students who are recipients of, funds under any applicable program; (3) the terms `local educational agency' and `State educational agency' have the meanings given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; (4) the term `school personnel' has the meaning given such term in section 12 of the Ending Corporal Punishment in Schools Act of 2017; and (5) the term `student' includes any person who is in attendance at an educational agency or institution.

  This establishes a new prohibition that restricts the use of federal funds to educational institutions that allow corporal punishment.

• 20 U.S.C. 1234d

  (1) withhold, in whole or in part, further payments under an applicable program (as such term is defined in section 400(c) of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1221)) in accordance with section 455 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1234d);

  The Secretary may withhold funds to a state educational agency that fails to comply with the prohibition against corporal punishment.

• 20 U.S.C. 1234f

  (2) enter into a compliance agreement in accordance with section 457 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1234f);

  The Secretary is authorized to enter into compliance agreements if a state educational agency is in violation of the new corporal punishment prohibition.

Action History

1. January 03, 2017

   Introduced in House

2. January 03, 2017

   Introduced in House

3. January 03, 2017

   Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Sponsors

• Alcee L. Hastings · Primary

Subjects