H.R. 6525 — National Educator Safety and Accountability Act of 2025

This section establishes the National Educator Misconduct and Discipline Registry (NEMDR), to be maintained by the Secretary of Education in coordination with the Attorney General as a national clearinghouse of educator discipline records to prevent rehiring of individuals with substantiated misconduct involving students. The registry includes (1) records of license revocations, suspensions, and disciplinary actions related to sexual misconduct; (2) findings of misconduct by school districts or state agencies; (3) reports of resignations submitted during an active investigation; and (4) prohibitions on student contact imposed by any school, district, or state agency.

This section requires each school and school district to report to the state educational agency and National Educator Misconduct Database and Registry (NEMDR) within 48 hours of (1) any final finding of educator sexual misconduct; (2) any termination, non-renewal, or discipline related to such misconduct; (3) any resignation tendered during a pending investigation; and (4) any other substantial evidence of grooming or boundary violations. The section prohibits any school or school district from entering into an agreement that conceals, suppresses, or prevents dissemination of information about substantiated misconduct (i.e., "passing the trash"). It further requires state educational agencies to transmit disciplinary actions and licensure determinations to NEMDR within 30 days of issuance.

This section authorizes access to NEMDR for (1) school districts, (2) state educational agencies, (3) law enforcement as authorized, and (4) certifying or licensing bodies. It requires schools to query NEMDR as part of every hiring decision involving any position with student contact.

This section establishes penalties for states or school districts that fail to comply with reporting requirements by (1) making them ineligible for selected federal education grants designated by the Secretary; (2) authorizing the Secretary to impose civil penalties for repeated violations; and (3) requiring submission of a corrective action plan within 60 days.

This section specifies membership requirements as follows: (1) representatives of the Department of Education; (2) the Department of Justice; (3) state educational agencies; (4) child protection specialists; (5) data and criminal justice experts; and (6) law enforcement officials.

This section directs the task force to (1) collect and analyze national data from NEMDR; (2) identify systemic weaknesses and high-risk indicators; (3) publish annual public reports to Congress; (4) provide recommendations for policy enhancement; and (5) offer technical assistance to states on compliance and prevention strategies.