Alyssa’s Act of 2025

The "Alyssa's Act of 2025" aims to significantly improve school safety by expanding the Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Evidence-Based Practices within the Department of Homeland Security. This expansion includes new provisions for public education efforts , offering specialized information to states and school administrators on preventing and responding to school emergencies, including shootings. The Secretary of Homeland Security is also directed to provide training and technical assistance to schools, offering individualized consulting to implement evidence-based safety practices. A key provision involves the development, testing, and evaluation of panic alarm technology for first responders and local educational agencies. This technology is intended to improve response times and mitigate losses during school emergencies, focusing on reliable, inexpensive equipment and management studies. The bill also establishes a National School Safety Data Center within SchoolSafety.gov to collect, analyze, and disseminate comprehensive data on school emergencies, violence, and safety measures, aiming to identify problems and assist in setting priorities. Furthermore, the legislation prohibits federal funding for emergency response maps that do not meet specific digital geospatial and interoperability requirements, ensuring they are accessible, real-time updatable, and shareable with public safety agencies. The Secretary is tasked with developing a strategy to procure and distribute these compliant maps for critical federal sites. Finally, the bill mandates annual reports to Congress on the establishment and effectiveness of master plans for school shooting prevention and response across the United States, evaluating their quality, implementation approaches, and cost-benefits. The Act clarifies that it does not grant rulemaking authority to the Clearinghouse.