National Strategy for School Security Act of 2025
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Would require the Department of Homeland Security to develop and submit to Congress a national strategy to secure K-12 schools from terrorist threats, with annual updates and congressional briefings through 2033.
The bill would create a coordinated federal framework for identifying school terrorism vulnerabilities and setting goals to address them — an area where federal efforts are currently spread across multiple agencies and programs without a single unifying plan.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Security, working in consultation with the Secretary of Education and heads of other appropriate federal agencies, to develop and submit a national school security strategy to four designated congressional committees within one year of enactment. The strategy must catalog all existing federal programs, projects, and authorities — with associated spending levels — aimed at protecting K-12 schools from terrorism; identify specific school security vulnerabilities; set goals for closing those vulnerabilities; and describe the actions needed to achieve those goals.
The Secretary would also be required to annually update the strategy through 2033 and brief the same committees on any updates. In years where no update is warranted, the Secretary must submit a formal certification to Congress attesting to that fact. The bill does not appropriate funds for school security programs itself — it mandates strategic planning and congressional oversight of existing and future efforts.
Key provisions
- 1Would require the DHS Secretary, in consultation with the Education Secretary and other agency heads, to submit a national school security strategy to four congressional committees within one year of enactment.
- 2Would require annual updates to the strategy through 2033, with briefings to Congress; if no update is made in a given year, the Secretary must submit a certification attesting to that.
- 3Would require the strategy to catalog all federal school security programs and spending levels, identify terrorism-related vulnerabilities, set goals to close them, and describe actions needed to achieve those goals.
- 4Would require the strategy to build on existing DHS evaluations and working-group findings to avoid unnecessary duplication of existing federal efforts.
Who would be affected
The Department of Homeland Security and Department of Education, which would lead strategy development; other federal agencies with relevant school security authorities; and the four named congressional committees receiving the strategy and briefings. K-12 school administrators, state and local education officials, and communities whose schools face terrorism risks would be indirectly affected by whatever federal actions the strategy identifies.
Why it matters
Without a consolidated national strategy, federal school security resources and programs can operate in silos, leaving gaps in vulnerability identification and response coordination. If enacted, Congress and school security planners would gain a single authoritative federal map of known vulnerabilities, ongoing programs, and planned actions — along with a standing update cycle to keep it current through 2033.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Sec. 2)
Adds new Section 2220F requiring DHS to develop, submit, and annually update a national strategy to secure K-12 schools from terrorism threats.
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- Deadline for DHS Secretary to submit the national school security strategy to Congress
- Annual strategy update and briefing requirement expires
Funding and costs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2259 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2026–2030 period, with no effect on direct spending, revenues, or the deficit.
CBO estimates that H.R. 2259, the National Strategy for School Security Act of 2025, would have no effect on direct (mandatory) spending or revenues, leaving the deficit unchanged over the 2026–2035 period. The only anticipated cost — less than $500,000 over 2026–2030 — relates to discretionary spending (funds that Congress must separately appropriate) for the Department of Homeland Security to develop and report a school security strategy and provide annual briefings to Congress through 2033. CBO did not estimate costs beyond 2030. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates.
How implementation would work
The DHS Secretary must consult and cooperate with the Secretary of Education and other agency heads to develop the strategy, then submit it to four committees — the House Homeland Security and Education and Workforce committees, and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and HELP committees — within one year of enactment. The Secretary must also brief those committees on the strategy upon submission. Thereafter, annual updates and accompanying briefings are required through 2033 when appropriate; in years with no update, the Secretary must submit a formal written certification. The strategy must build on existing DHS working groups and evaluations to avoid duplication.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Official CRS summary
Show the CRS summaryHide the CRS summary
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a national strategy to secure elementary and secondary schools from acts of terrorism. DHS must submit this strategy to Congress, annually update the strategy (if appropriate) through 2033, and provide annual briefings to Congress on those updates.
Legislative subjects
Congressional oversight; Education; Elementary and secondary education; School administration; Terrorism
Committee report
H. Rept. 119-378