Take Action
Tell your legislators to stand up for student health and wellbeing
As you know, there is a mental and behavioral health crisis in our schools. Students are struggling, and classroom educators and support staff are overwhelmed and under-resourced. When struggling students don’t get the support they need, it disrupts the learning environment for all students. We as a state must do better!
We are calling for the General Assembly to support three critical bills to begin addressing this crisis and create a safer, more supportive learning environment for all:
- Categorical Funding (HB5532/SB0256)
Increases state funding for essential staff like paraprofessionals, social workers, behavior specialists, and school psychologists—people who can deescalate, intervene, and help address the root causes of student behaviors.
- Student Safety and Behavioral Health Committees (HB5165/SB0235)
Creates district-level committees of frontline educators, support staff, and administrators to assess existing resources, review behavioral policies, and recommend improvements to ensure students and educators receive the support they need.
- Statewide Cell Phone Policy (HB5598/SB0771)
Requires each district to adopt policies limiting student phone/smartwatch use during the school day, with exceptions for medical, MLL, or IEP needs. Enforcement would fall to administrators—not classroom staff—helping restore focus and safety in classrooms.
This will not solve this crisis. But together, these three bills are a vital first step towards tackling the student mental health/behaviors crisis and providing the resources all of our students deserve.