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Bill

HR 9513

Community Schools and Health Equity Act

119th Congress Introduced by Shomari Figures and 2 co-sponsors

Creates a competitive grant program to embed comprehensive school-based health and wraparound services, tying education with health systems to boost student health and outcomes.

Introduced in House
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HR 9513

Overview

  • Bill: HR 9513 — Community Schools and Health Equity Act
  • Session: 119th Congress (introduced June 29, 2026)
  • Purpose: Direct the Secretary of Education to establish a competitive grant program to integrate school-based health services into community schools, in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services.

Primary aim

  • Expand and integrate comprehensive health services within community schools to promote student health, attendance, and academic success.
  • Emphasizes collaboration between education and health sectors to address social determinants of health affecting students and families.

Key provisions and changes

  • Grant program (Section 2)
    • Establishes a competitive grant program administered by the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
    • Eligible recipients (eligible entities):
    • Local educational agencies (LEAs)
    • Consortia of LEAs
    • Partnerships between LEAs and:
      • Community-based organizations
      • Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
      • Public health agencies
      • Institutions of higher education
    • Authorized activities (use of funds):
    • Expand or establish school-based health services (including partnerships with FQHCs)
    • Hire and train personnel (nurses, mental health professionals, social workers, and community school coordinators)
    • Provide wraparound services (nutrition assistance, housing referrals, family engagement, legal services)
    • Support programs addressing social determinants of health impacting students and families
    • Provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services for English learners and immigrant families
    • Implement trauma-informed practices and crisis response services
    • Build partnerships with higher education to develop health career pathways for students
    • Prioritization criteria (who gets funding first):
    • Areas with high concentrations of low-income students
    • Large populations of English learners or students from immigrant families
    • Demonstrated unmet health or mental health needs
    • Location in medically underserved areas or health professional shortage areas
    • Proposals that partner with FQHCs or public health agencies
    • Interagency coordination:
    • Requires a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services
    • Focus areas: reducing administrative burdens and providing technical assistance
    • Reporting and oversight:
    • Annual grantee reports detailing activities, number of students served, health/attendance/academic outcomes, and disaggregated data by income, race/ethnicity, and English learner status
    • Congressionally mandated evaluations: Secretary must submit a report to Congress at least every three years, including program effectiveness, best practices, and recommendations for improving coordination between education and health systems
    • Privacy and civil rights:
    • Maintains existing federal privacy protections (FERPA and HIPAA); nothing in the act alters these protections
    • Definitions (key terms):
    • Community school: as defined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (full-service community school)
    • Eligible entity: LEA, a consortium of LEAs, or a partnership between an LEA and one or more community-based organizations, FQHCs, public health agencies, or higher education institutions
    • School-based health services: comprehensive health services in the school setting (primary care, mental health, preventive services, and medical referrals)

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: students and families in participating schools, particularly in communities with high needs (low income, English learners, immigrant families, medically underserved areas).
  • Local educational agencies and consortia that form partnerships with health and community organizations, including FQHCs, public health agencies, and higher education institutions.
  • Health providers and community-based organizations collaborating with schools to deliver integrated services.

Timeline and procedural notes

  • Enactment timeline: As a newly introduced bill, it would need passage by both House and Senate and signature by the President to become law.
  • Funding timeline: Grants would be awarded on a competitive basis; annual reporting begins after grant activities commence.
  • Reporting cadence: Annual grantee reports; triennial Congress-wide program evaluation and best-practice recommendations.
  • Coordination: Requires a formal interagency MOA between the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services to streamline administration and technical support.

Potential impact

  • Could significantly increase access to integrated health and wraparound services in schools, addressing mental health, nutrition, housing, and other social determinants.
  • Aims to improve student health, attendance, and academic outcomes through coordinated education-health interventions.
  • Emphasizes equity by prioritizing high-need districts and English learner/immigrant populations, and by supporting culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
  • Promotes career pathways in health fields for students via partnerships with higher education institutions.

Note: The summary reflects the bill text as introduced; actual impact depends on enacted language, appropriations, and implementation regulations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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