School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act

Sponsor: Gwen Moore (Democratic-WI)March 4, 2026

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Creates grants to help schools hire more social workers for student mental health support.

This bill would create a new federal grant program to help local school districts hire and keep more social workers. This means students in elementary and secondary schools would get more access to mental health and other support services. It also sets aside $100 million each year for five years to pay for these grants.

What Would Change

Currently, the main education law lacks a specific federal grant program to help schools hire and keep social workers to meet recommended student-to-social worker ratios. If this bill becomes law, the federal government would offer grants to high-need local school districts to hire and keep school social workers. This would help schools work towards having at least one social worker for every 250 students, or one for every 50 higher-risk students, starting in fiscal year 2026.

Key Provisions

Lets the Secretary of Education award grants to high-need local school districts to hire and keep school social workers.
Requires schools receiving grants to aim for at least one social worker for every 250 students, primarily by employing staff, but allowing contractors under specific conditions if direct employment isn't possible and contractors meet qualifications.
Allows schools with many higher-risk students to use grant funds to aim for one social worker for every 50 students.
Requires school social workers funded by these grants to provide services like counseling, crisis intervention, and connecting students to resources.
Sets aside $100,000,000 for each of the government's budget years 2026 through 2030 to pay for these grants.

View on Congress.gov

HR 7798 · 119th Congress · March 4, 2026 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 8/10

School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Lobbying Activity