The RAISE Act of 2025 creates a refundable tax credit for K-12 teachers and early childhood educators based on their school's student poverty rate, with a base $1,000 credit plus potential additional amounts up to $14,000 for K-12 teachers and $9,000 for early childhood educators without bachelor's degrees. It also increases the deductible expense limit for teachers from $250 to $500 per year and establishes mandatory funding for school districts that maintain or increase teacher salaries, reserving 20% of funds over $2.2 billion for teacher salary incentive grants. The bill includes provisions to prevent employers from using the tax credit in collective bargaining or changing teacher assignments to avoid providing the credit. Eligibility requires specific teaching credentials and employment in qualifying schools with high poverty rates. These changes would apply to taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment date.
HR 2485, the Arts Education for All Act, requires states and school districts to integrate arts education into K-12 curricula and report on its availability. It mandates states to describe how they will support arts courses, increase certified arts educators (especially in high-need schools), and use arts to enhance teaching in core subjects like math and science (Section 202). Schools must track and report on arts course offerings, teacher qualifications, and student access - including disaggregated data by school poverty levels (Section 203). The bill also expands arts access in juvenile justice programs (Section 301) and funds research on effective arts education methods (Section 401). It directly affects public schools, arts educators, and youth in after-school and correctional settings.
The Expanding Access to High-Impact Tutoring Act of 2025 creates a federal grant program to fund evidence-based tutoring programs in K-12 public schools, requiring at least 30 minutes of daily tutoring, 3 days per week in math or reading, with a 3-to-1 student-to-tutor ratio. It allocates funds to state education agencies to distribute to school districts that must develop detailed plans, provide monthly progress reports, and partner with research organizations to evaluate program effectiveness. The bill establishes an Advisory Board to oversee implementation, approve tutoring models, and develop a nationwide tutoring workforce, with specific focus on schools serving students who have experienced academic setbacks, particularly those eligible for Title I services.
This bill creates a federal grant program to help public schools implement phone-free policies during school hours. It requires states to adopt a policy prohibiting student phone use (with specific exceptions for health needs, disabilities, English learners, and documented instructional needs) to qualify for funding. Grants can only be used to purchase secure storage solutions like lockers or signal-blocking containers for devices. The program allocates funds based on prior Title I education funding, with minimum allocations for smaller states. It directly affects public K-12 schools through their state education agencies.
HR 6532, the PATHS to Tutor Act of 2025, creates a federal grant program to fund high-quality tutoring in "hard-to-staff" and "high-need" schools - those with high teacher turnover or significant student disadvantage. The program requires local consortia (combining schools, educator programs, and community partners) to provide tutoring in small groups (max 1:4), aligned with school curriculum, with trained tutors (including students in education programs or recent graduates) who receive fair compensation. It authorizes $500 million, mandating 85% of funds directly support students (via stipends, materials, transportation) while prohibiting use to replace teachers. The bill also coordinates with the Corporation for National and Community Service to approve tutor positions and offer educational awards upon completion.
HR 2097 creates a new federal tax credit allowing parents to claim up to $10,000 annually per child for qualified elementary and secondary education expenses at public, private, parochial, or religious schools. It covers tuition, required fees, specific technology, tutoring, disability services, and transportation to private schools, but excludes uniforms, athletics, or nonacademic fees. The credit phases out for households earning above $75,000 (single) or $150,000 (joint). This directly affects families paying for K-12 education, expanding tax relief beyond current education benefits. The policy change takes effect for tax years after the bill’s enactment.
This bill creates a federal grant program to expand STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) opportunities for girls and underrepresented minorities in K-12 schools. Qualified local school districts (those serving at least 40% students eligible for free/reduced lunch) can apply for competitive 4-year grants of $250,000 annually to fund specific activities. Key provisions include teacher training to address bias, mentorship programs, parental engagement, summer and after-school STEM activities, field trips to STEM workplaces, and support for advanced course enrollment. The program requires annual evaluations tracking student engagement and academic progress in STEM fields. It directly affects schools serving high-poverty communities with significant underrepresented student populations.
HR 369, the States’ Education Reclamation Act of 2025, would abolish the U.S. Department of Education and transfer its programs - including job training, special education, and federal student loans - to other federal departments like Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury. It would provide annual federal grants to states for K-12 and higher education, requiring states to use the funds to add to, not replace, their existing education budgets. States must conduct annual audits of fund usage, submit reports to the federal government, and face penalties for misuse, while maintaining compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws. The bill shifts federal education oversight to states, ending direct federal management of education programs.
S 1275, the Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act, provides federal funding to help schools on federal lands improve their aging facilities. It targets federally impacted local educational agencies (those serving schools on federal property like Indian reservations or military bases) that struggle with poor building conditions and limited local funding capacity. The bill authorizes $250 million annually for four years to fund competitive emergency repairs for schools with health/safety hazards and formula grants for agencies with limited bonding capacity. Local matching requirements vary based on financial capacity, with some agencies required to contribute 10-25% of project costs depending on their ability to pay.
HR 4728 codifies Executive Order 14280, which establishes school discipline policies focused on common sense approaches. This bill turns the existing executive order into law, giving it the force of statute. It directly affects public K-12 schools, requiring them to implement these specific discipline policies. The key mechanism is converting the executive order into binding federal law without altering the policy content.
