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This bill changes how federal Title I money for low-income Kâ12 students is handled. Instead of being used only by the school district where a child lives, the bill lets each State decide whether the federal per-child funds can "follow" a low-income child to the school or program the child actually attends â including public schools, charter schools, accredited private schools, or approved supplemental programs. The State would calculate a per-student amount by dividing the Title I allocation by the number of low-income children in the State. States could choose to give those per-student funds directly to parents (and set rules to verify proper use or require a dedicated savings account), or keep and spend the money under State law. The bill also says federal officials cannot force States or schools to adopt specific academic standards, tests, curricula, or the Common Core, and it bars the federal government from conditioning funds on adopting annual assessments, standards, or accountability systems. It also removes a current federal grant program that supports State assessment development.
- Who is covered: "Eligible children" are ages 5â17 from families below the federal poverty level; the State uses Census-based poverty rules updated for inflation to count them.
- How money is calculated and used: The State divides its Title I allocation by the number of eligible children to get a per-pupil amount; that amount must be used for Kâ12 education costs allowed by State law.
- Where funds can go: Allowed uses include local school district budgets, public or charter school costs, tuition/fees for accredited private schools or required public/charter attendance fees, and State-approved supplemental programs; States can direct funds to parents with oversight options.
- Limits on federal control: Federal officials may not require or mandate specific standards, tests, curricula (including Common Core), or force States to implement annual assessments or accountability systems; a separate federal grant program for State assessments is repealed.
Official Summaries
Ending Common Core and Expanding School Choice Act
This bill revises requirements related to federal education funding for disadvantaged children. Specifically, the bill (1) eliminates the standards, assessments, and academic accountability requirements for state and local educational agencies that receive federal funds for the education of disadvantaged children; (2) requires such funds to be allocated based on the number of children residing in each state who are living in poverty; and (3) allows educational agencies to distribute per-pupil amounts from such funds to parents for qualified elementary and secondary education expenses.
The bill prohibits federal officers or employees from mandating academic standards, assessments, curricula, or accountability systems.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 83 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 83
To amend part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 to allow States, in accordance with State law, to let
Federal funds for the education of disadvantaged children follow low-
income children to the public school, charter school, accredited
private school, or supplemental educational service program they
attend, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mr. Biggs of Arizona introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Education and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 to allow States, in accordance with State law, to let
Federal funds for the education of disadvantaged children follow low-
income children to the public school, charter school, accredited
private school, or supplemental educational service program they
attend, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ending Common Core and Expanding
School Choice Act''.
SEC. 2. STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE CHILDREN.
(a) In General.--Part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) is amended to read as
follows:
``PART A--STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE CHILDREN
``SEC. 1111. ALLOCATIONS TO STATES.
``(a) In General.--For each fiscal year, the Secretary shall
allocate the amount appropriated to carry out this part among State
education agencies based on the number of eligible children residing in
each State.
``(b) Eligible Child.--In this section, the term `eligible child'
means a child aged 5 to 17, inclusive, from a family with an income
below the poverty level on the basis of the most recent satisfactory
data published by the Department of Commerce.
``(c) Criteria of Poverty.--In determining the families with
incomes below the poverty level for the purposes of this section, a
State educational agency shall use the criteria of poverty used by the
Census Bureau in compiling the most recent decennial census, as the
criteria have been updated by increases in the Consumer Price Index for
All Urban Consumers, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
``SEC. 1112. FUNDS FOLLOWING ELIGIBLE CHILDREN.
``(a) Calculation of Per Pupil Amount.--For each fiscal year, the
State educational agency shall calculate the per pupil amount by
dividing the amount made available to the agency under section 1111 by
the number of eligible children (as defined in section 1111(b))
residing in the State.
``(b) Use of Funds.--Each State educational agency shall use each
per pupil amount calculated under subsection (a) for qualified
elementary and secondary education expenses and in a manner directed by
State law.
``(c) Funds Distributed to Parents.--In a case in which State law
directs a State educational agency to distribute all or a portion of a
per pupil amount to a parent of an eligible child, the agency also
shall determine, consistent with State law, how the agency will verify
that funds are being used in accordance with this section and whether
to require the parent to establish an educational savings account or
other dedicated account to maintain such funds.
``(d) Definition.--In this section, the term `qualified elementary
and secondary education expenses', when used with respect to a child,
means any of the following:
``(1) Expenses within the budget of the local educational
agency having jurisdiction over the geographic area in which
the child resides.
``(2) Expenses within the budget of the public or charter
school the child may attend without paying tuition or fees.
``(3) Tuition and fees required to be paid in order for the
child to attend a public or charter school in the State in
which the child resides.
``(4) Tuition and fees required to be paid in order for the
child to attend an accredited or otherwise State-approved
private school in the State in which the child resides.
``(5) Fees required to be paid for the child to participate
in a State-approved supplemental educational services program.
``SEC. 1113. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
``(a) In General.--No officer or employee of the Federal Government
shall, through grants, contracts, or other cooperative agreements,
mandate, direct, or control a State, local educational agency, or
school's specific instructional content, academic standards and
assessments, curricula, or program of instruction (including any
requirement, direction, or mandate to adopt the Common Core State
Standards developed under the Common Core State Standards Initiative,
any other academic standards common to a significant number of States,
or any assessment, instructional content, or curriculum aligned to such
standards), nor shall anything in this Act be construed to authorize
such officer or employee to do so.
``(b) No Requirement To Implement Assessments, Standards, or
Accountability Systems.--An officer or employee of the Federal
Government shall not require a State educational agency, local
educational agency, school, or Indian Tribe to implement an annual
assessment, academic standard, or accountability system, or condition
funds made available under this part upon such implementation.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Repeal of state assessment grants.--Part B of title I
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1201 et seq.) is repealed.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--Section 1002 of such
Act (20 U.S.C. 6302) is amended--
(A) by striking the subsection heading for
subsection (a) and inserting ``State Educational Agency
Grants for Eligible Children''; and
(B) by striking subsection (b).
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