School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act

Summary of HR 7798 (119th Congress) — School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act

Date introduced: March 4, 2026

Sponsored by: Rep. Gwen Moore (with Rep. Sylvia Garcia, Rep. Hillary Scholten, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton as co-sponsors)

Jurisdiction: United States; Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA)

Short Title: School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act

1) Main Purpose and Intent

• Establishes a federal grants program to help high-need local educational agencies (LEAs) hire and retain school social workers.
• Aims to increase access to mental health and other student support services in elementary and secondary schools.
• Seeks to achieve staffing ratios aligned with national professional guidance: at least 1 school social worker per 250 students (baseline), and 1 per 50 students for students with intensive needs.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

Grants for School Social Workers (new Section 4645)

• Who funds the grants? Grants are authorized from funds appropriated under subsection (g) of the bill (annual authorization of $100,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026–2030).
• Who is eligible? High-need LEAs can receive grants to retain current school social workers or hire additional ones (or hire contractors to serve as school social workers only if:
  • retention/hiring gaps persist despite recruitment efforts, and
  • contractors meet credentialing requirements, and
  • contractors provide the required services).
• Duration and use of funds:
  • Grants are awarded for up to 4 years.
  • Grants must supplement, not supplant, existing funds from federal, state, or local sources.
• Allowable uses of funds:
  • Retain or hire school social workers to reach the 250:1 ratio (or 50:1 for high-need/high-risk contexts).
  • Reimbursement for travel (e.g., home visits), other service-related expenses, supervision/clinical supervision costs, and related expenses to deliver services described in subsection (d).
• Applicant requirements:
  • Applications must include assurances that recipients will provide the described services.
  • Applicants must outline the specific services to be provided.

Responsibilities of the School Social Worker (Section 4645(d))

• Identify high-need students and target services accordingly.
• Provide a broad range of services, including:
  • Counseling, crisis intervention, and trauma-informed services.
  • Evidence-based educational, behavioral, and mental health supports (multi-tiered programs, progress monitoring, and evaluating effectiveness).
  • Social-emotional learning, school climate improvement, and engagement between students, families, schools, and communities.
  • Access to school-based and community resources; leadership, collaboration, and coordination of services.
  • Address barriers to educational attainment (homelessness, housing insecurity, transportation, food insecurity, equity, social justice, etc.).
  • Assist with designing social-emotional, educational, behavioral, and mental health interventions.
  • Case management, home visits, supervision/coordination of district-level social work services.
  • Other services deemed necessary by the Secretary.

Grant Renewal (Section 4645(e))

• Grants may be renewed for additional periods, with renewal requirements:
  • Submit progress reports demonstrating retention/hiring progress toward the 250:1 ratio.
  • Describe staffing expansion and the work performed for higher-risk students.

Technical Assistance Center (Section 4645(g) and Section 3)

• Establishes a National Technical Assistance Center for School Social Work to:
  • Provide information, training, and assistance to states, tribes, LEAs, and other stakeholders.
  • Develop statewide/tribal strategies, study costs and effectiveness, and disseminate data on school social work ratios and outcomes.
  • Foster data sharing, partnerships, and best practices at national, state, and local levels.

Definitions (Section 4645(h) and related)

• High-Need LEA: As defined in section 200 of the Higher Education Act.
• School Social Worker: Requires a graduate degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, and compliance with state/local credentialing requirements for practice in schools.

3) Who Would Be Affected

• Primary: High-need local educational agencies (LEAs) serving elementary and secondary schools.
• Beneficiaries: Students in those schools, particularly high-need and high-risk students who would receive expanded social work support, mental health services, and case management.
• Stakeholders: School social workers, school staff (teachers, administrators), families, and community partners involved in student support services.

4) Procedural and Timeline Considerations

• Authorized funding: $100 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2030.
• Grant period: Up to 4 years per award, with potential renewals contingent on progress reports.
• Implementation: Requires amendments to ESEA (Subpart 4 of Part F, Title IV) to create a new Section 4645, plus creation of a National Technical Assistance Center.
• Application and compliance: Applicants must provide services plan and assurances; renewals require reporting on staffing and service delivery progress.

Overall, HR 7798 aims to expand school social work capacity to support student mental health, engagement, and academic outcomes through grant funding, defined service expectations, and ongoing technical assistance.