S. 1895 — Mental Health Excellence in Schools Act

This section establishes the Mental Health Excellence in Schools Program, under which the Secretary of Education enters agreements with eligible graduate institutions to match up to 50% of the institutions' contributions toward the cost of attendance for participating graduate students training as school-based mental health service providers. Agreements must specify the contribution method (e.g., direct grant or scholarship), maximum amount per student and number of students per year, prioritization of students who as undergraduates received a Federal Pell Grant or attended a minority-serving institution listed in 20 U.S.C. 1067q(a), and other terms. The Secretary must publicize participating institutions online, conduct related outreach, require annual reports from institutions on program metrics (e.g., students served, tuition coverage percentage, graduation rates, post-graduate employment), submit an interim report to Congress two years after initial contributions, and complete an independent national evaluation with a report to Congress four years after enactment. Authorizes $20 million for FY2026, $30 million for FY2027, and $50 million for each of FY2028 through FY2030.

This section defines terms for purposes of the Act, including: (1) cost of attendance, as defined in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll); (2) eligible graduate institution, meaning an institution of higher education offering a graduate degree program in school psychology (accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists or American Psychological Association and preparing students for specialist-level state licensing or certification), school counseling (accredited and preparing for state licensing or certification), school social work (accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and preparing for state licensing or certification), another school-based mental health field (preparing for state licensing or certification, if applicable), or any combination thereof; (3) institution of higher education, as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001); (4) participating student, meaning an individual enrolled in a graduate degree program in a school-based mental health field at a participating eligible graduate institution; (5) school-based mental health field, meaning school counseling, school social work, school psychology, or any other field leading to employment as a school-based mental health services provider (as determined by the Secretary); (6) school-based mental health services provider, as defined in section 4102 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7112); and (7) Secretary, meaning the Secretary of Education.