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Congress·In Committee·3 months ago

Senate Bill Would Ban Seclusion, Restrict Physical Restraint in Schools Receiving Federal Funds

Also known as: Keeping All Students Safe Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Impacts

Positive Impacts(1)
Student
Helps

Key Points

  • Bans schools that get federal money from locking a student alone in a room, using devices to restrain them, or using drugs to control behavior.
  • Allows hands-on restraint only in a true emergency when a student is about to seriously hurt someone, and it must stop as soon as the danger stops.
  • Requires training for staff who might restrain students, and schools can’t put “planned restraint” into a kid’s education plan ahead of time.
  • Makes schools notify parents the same day and send a written report within 24 hours after any restraint, then hold a meeting within 5 school days.
  • Forces states to track and publish yearly data on restraints (including injuries and deaths) and creates grants to help schools reduce restraint use.
EducationCivil RightsDisability RightsConsumer Protection

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Dec 11, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Dec 11, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

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Schools that take federal money stop using seclusion, mechanical restraint, chemical restraint, and dangerous holds that can block breathing or blood flow.

If the bill becomes law, students should immediately face fewer high-risk restraint practices. Schools would need to switch to safer ways to handle crises and only use physical restraint in true emergencies.

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States build or approve training programs and certify enough staff to respond to crises safely.

Teachers and school staff may have to complete new training and renew it over time. Schools that do not have enough trained staff could struggle at first and may change how they staff high-need classrooms.

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States submit their first state plans and publish their first yearly public reports on physical restraint use.

Parents and the public would be able to see how often restraint happens in their area and whether it leads to injury. This may increase pressure on schools with high numbers to change practices.

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A national progress check is released, then a final report later.

These reports could lead to updates in guidance, stronger enforcement, or changes in future laws. They also give families and advocates clearer evidence of what is working.

Related News

2 articles
Times Union·almost 3 years ago

Lawmakers renew push for federal limits on restraint and seclusion in school

Lawmakers cited a year-long Hearst Newspapers investigation revealing that schools seclude special education students thousands of times a day. The Keeping All Students Safe Act would block schools from using locked rooms or restraints that restrict breathing, such as prone or supine holds.

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CT Insider·over 3 years ago

Restrictions on harmful school practices have stalled in Congress

The Keeping All Students Safe Act would ban seclusion and mechanical restraints like handcuffs in schools and Head Start programs. Despite support from state attorneys general, the bill faces obstacles in a divided Congress where some administrators argue for local control.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Keeping All Students Safe Act

Bill NumberS 3448
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(15)
D: 14I: 1

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.