1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Trauma-Informed Schools Act of 2018 . 2. Trauma-informed practices (a) Definition Section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7801 ) is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraphs (51) and (52) as paragraphs (52) and (53), respectively; and (2) by inserting after paragraph (50) the following: (51) Trauma-informed practices The term trauma-informed practices means— (A) evidence-based activities that promote a shared understanding among teachers, school leaders, paraprofessionals, specialized instructional support personnel, and other staff that traumatic life experiences in the lives of children— (i) are common, yet are often not disclosed or reported; (ii) cause neurological, psychological, and social effects that affect learning, behavior, and relationships; (iii) create risk of further trauma; (iv) do not inherently undermine the capabilities of students to reach high expectations in academics and life; and (v) can and should be mitigated in schools by evidence-based schoolwide approaches; (B) adoption of disciplinary procedures and practices that— (i) accompany disciplinary actions with holistic assessments and interventions to address the underlying causes of student behavior, including trauma; (ii) avoid harsh and punitive, exclusionary disciplinary practices; (iii) utilize evidence-based restorative practices that build a culture of trust