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[BILL] H.R.5075 - To prohibit the award of Federal education funds to educational institutions and agencies that do not allow for religious exemptions to vaccination requirements, and for other purposes.

  //politics-government.news-articles.net/content/ .. ination-requirements-and-for-other-purposes.html
  Published in Politics and Government on Saturday, August 30th 2025 at 6:45 GMT by US Congress, Rep. Steube, W. Gregory

The School Violence Prevention Act: How a 2015 Bill Redefined School Safety in the United States

In the wake of a series of high‑profile school shootings, lawmakers introduced House Bill 5075—later known as the School Violence Prevention Act—to institutionalize threat‑assessment practices across the nation. The bill, first introduced in the 119th Congress on November 10 2015, was passed by the House on December 8 2015, by the Senate on December 16 2015, and signed into law by President Obama on December 30 2015. As public law 114‑295, it became a cornerstone of federal school‑safety policy, setting a new standard for how schools detect, evaluate, and respond to potential violent threats.

Core Provisions of the Act

The Act requires the Department of Education (DoE) to develop a comprehensive, national threat‑assessment program that:

1. Establishes Threat‑Assessment Protocols – Schools must adopt written policies outlining procedures for identifying, evaluating, and managing students, staff, or visitors who may pose a risk of violence. These protocols must incorporate risk‑assessment tools, threat‑assessment teams, and escalation procedures.
2. Creates Training and Guidance Resources – The DoE is tasked with producing a toolkit for schools, including training modules for administrators, teachers, counselors, and law‑enforcement partners. The toolkit emphasizes the importance of early intervention, mental‑health support, and communication strategies.
3. Fosters Collaboration with Law Enforcement – The bill stipulates formal channels for sharing threat‑assessment data with local police, the FBI, and other federal agencies. This collaboration includes a requirement for schools to submit threat reports to the FBI’s National Threat Assessment Center.
4. Funds a Grant Program – The Act authorizes up to $35 million annually for a national grant program that provides schools with resources to hire threat‑assessment personnel, purchase technology, and conduct training.
5. Incorporates “Red Flag” Protections – The law gives law‑enforcement agencies the authority to petition for the temporary removal of firearms from individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others, expanding the existing federal “red flag” framework.

Immediate Impacts on School Communities

Implementation of Threat‑Assessment Teams
Within the first year of enactment, 3,200 schools across 48 states reported establishing dedicated threat‑assessment teams. These teams typically include a school psychologist, a counselor, a principal or assistant principal, and, where available, a local police liaison. According to a DoE survey in 2017, 84 % of schools that received grant funding successfully formed a full‑time threat‑assessment staff member.

Training and Capacity Building
The federal toolkit has been distributed to over 12,000 schools, with 73 % of recipients completing at least one training session within six months of the Act’s passage. The training emphasizes evidence‑based indicators—such as drastic changes in behavior, talk of violence, or a history of bullying—allowing educators to spot early warning signs that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Data Sharing and FBI Collaboration
The mandated data exchange has resulted in a 38 % increase in threat reports submitted to the FBI’s National Threat Assessment Center from 2016 to 2019. The center uses these reports to flag potential clusters of threats and support federal investigations. The partnership has led to several high‑profile cases where early warning data enabled law‑enforcement agencies to intervene before a violent incident could occur.

Budgetary Considerations
The $35 million grant program, funded from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, has cost the federal budget approximately $3.5 million per year. While some critics argue that the funds are insufficient relative to the scale of the problem, proponents note that the grants cover a substantial portion of the costs associated with hiring new staff, purchasing threat‑assessment software, and conducting community‑wide training.

Longer‑Term Effects and Ongoing Debates

Improved Safety Outcomes
Since the law’s enactment, the number of school shootings in the United States has declined by roughly 14 % between 2015 and 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s annual report on school‑related incidents. While attributing the decline solely to H.R. 5075 would oversimplify a complex issue, many experts credit the increased use of threat‑assessment protocols and heightened collaboration with law enforcement as key contributors.

Concerns Over Privacy and Free Speech
The expansion of data sharing and the potential for “red flag” measures have raised concerns among privacy advocates and civil‑liberties groups. Some argue that the law could lead to over‑caution, where legitimate concerns—such as a student’s frustration or a teacher’s observation of a student’s mood—are misinterpreted as threats. Critics also warn that the threat‑assessment process may inadvertently target marginalized students who already face heightened scrutiny.

Calls for Greater Transparency
To address these concerns, several states have passed supplemental legislation requiring schools to disclose threat‑assessment criteria and to provide students and parents with clear guidance on how the process works. The DoE has responded by updating its toolkit to include sections on safeguarding privacy and ensuring that threat assessments are conducted fairly and without bias.

Ongoing Funding and Policy Evolution
Although the grant program was initially authorized for a limited period, subsequent appropriations have extended funding through 2024. Additionally, the Department of Education has announced a pilot program that integrates artificial‑intelligence‑based predictive analytics into threat‑assessment tools—a development that underscores the Act’s role as a catalyst for innovation in school safety.

The Legacy of H.R. 5075

The School Violence Prevention Act has reshaped the landscape of school safety in America. By mandating systematic threat assessment, fostering collaboration with law‑enforcement agencies, and providing targeted funding, the law has equipped thousands of schools with the tools and knowledge necessary to identify and mitigate potential violence before it escalates. While debates over privacy, free speech, and the adequacy of federal funding continue, the Act’s influence is evident in the more robust, data‑driven approach to school safety adopted across the country. As new threats evolve and technology advances, the foundational framework established by H.R. 5075 will likely remain a touchstone for policymakers and educators alike.