hold on there's just too much going on in Congress lmao...
Shifts federal education funds to parents if schools close.
Rep. Owens (R-UT) introduced; no CRS summary available.
Introduced in the House, no vote yet.
This bill proposes that if public schools receiving federal Title I funds close for more than three days due to public health emergencies or labor strikes, parents would directly receive a portion of those funds to pay for alternative educational expenses. Sponsored by Representative Burgess Owens, a Republican from Utah, the bill has just been introduced in the House of Representatives and has a long way to go before potentially becoming law.
Introduced Mar 12, 2026
This bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives and referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce. For it to advance, the committee would need to consider it, potentially make changes, and then vote to send it to the full House for a vote. If it passes the House, it would then move to the Senate for a similar process, and finally, to the President to be signed into law or vetoed.
If your child attends a public school that receives federal Title I funding, and that school closes for more than three days due to a public health emergency or a labor strike, your local school district would be required to give you a direct payment. This money, calculated per student per day of closure, could be used for various educational expenses including tutoring, books, online learning materials, or even private school tuition. However, you would need to provide receipts to the school district showing how the funds were spent or return any unused money.
Supporters Say
Supporters argue it helps students, especially disadvantaged ones, overcome learning loss during school closures.
Critics Say
Critics might worry about diverting public funds to private education or the administrative burden on school districts.
Supporters of the 'Kids in Classes Act' highlight research indicating that school closures during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately harm low-income students and students of color, widening educational inequality and hindering their future earning potential. They believe direct payments empower parents to find alternative educational solutions during closures. Critics might express concerns that allowing federal funds intended for public schools to be used for private school tuition could weaken public education, or that requiring school districts to manage and track individual parent payments for various expenses would create a significant administrative burden and oversight challenge.