Education (Student Financial Aid)

in committee · United States · Senate Jan 20, 2025

S 152: Student Empowerment Act

The Student Empowerment Act (S 152) expands the use of 529 education savings accounts to cover more K-12 school expenses for students in public, private, religious, or homeschool settings. It allows funds to pay for tuition, curriculum materials, books, online resources, licensed tutoring (with teacher credentials), standardized tests, dual enrollment fees, and licensed educational therapies for students with disabilities. The bill directly affects families using 529 accounts who educate children in elementary or secondary school, including homeschoolers. It changes existing tax rules to include these specific K-12 expenses under 529 account distributions, effective after the bill's enactment. The policy change aims to provide greater flexibility for families managing educational costs at the K-12 level.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands 529 account usage for diverse K-12 expenses (tuition, materials, therapies), increasing educational access across public/private/religious/homeschool settings.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAllows 529 funds for online resources, expanding digital access to educational tools per bill's explicit allowance.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · Senate Jan 29, 2025

S 292: Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025

This bill establishes tax credits for individuals and corporations who contribute to scholarship granting organizations that provide educational scholarships for eligible students. The individual tax credit is limited to 10% of adjusted gross income or $5,000, while corporate credits are capped at 5% of taxable income. The bill defines "eligible students" as those from households with income not exceeding 300% of the area median gross income, and specifies that scholarships can cover tuition, materials, tutoring, and educational therapies. The bill includes a $10 billion annual cap on tax credits, with a first-come, first-served allocation system, and requires scholarship organizations to meet specific financial and operational standards.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates tax credits for educational donations, providing tax relief to individuals/corporations while targeting lower-income students.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands educational access via tax-credit scholarships for low-income K-12 students, creating new funding options through private school choice.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Higher Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · House Dec 15, 2025

HR 6711: SPELL Act

The SPELL Act expands existing federal student loan forgiveness programs to include teachers who work with English learners or in bilingual/dual language programs. It amends the Higher Education Act to add "English language education" to the list of eligible fields for loan forgiveness, alongside math, science, and special education. Teachers must be verified by school administrators as actively teaching English learners or bilingual students in roles matching their training. This directly affects educators in public or nonprofit elementary and secondary schools who meet these specific teaching criteria. The policy change modifies current eligibility without creating new programs, applying to those qualifying after the bill's enactment date.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands federal student loan forgiveness for teachers in English learner/bilingual programs, directly supporting educator retention and access in K-12 education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education Student Financial Aid Teachers

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in committee · United States · House May 23, 2025

HR 3605: Strength in Diversity Act of 2025

The Strength in Diversity Act of 2025 provides federal grants to schools and districts with racial or socioeconomic isolation to develop and implement strategies increasing diversity. It authorizes planning grants (up to 2 years) for assessments and community engagement, and implementation grants (up to 3 years) for activities like transportation plans, teacher recruitment, innovative school assignments, and equitable enrollment systems. Recipients must track measurable progress on academic outcomes (e.g., graduation rates, achievement gaps) and diversity metrics, including reducing isolation in covered schools (public K-12 schools and publicly-funded early childhood programs). The bill requires robust community input, data-driven evaluation, and plans for sustainability beyond the grant period, with funding authorized for fiscal years 2025-2029.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill authorizes federal grants for school diversity programs, directly allocating budget funds to support educational equity initiatives through government spending.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides federal grants to address school diversity/isolation, funding strategies like teacher recruitment and equitable enrollment to improve educational access and equity.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · House Feb 6, 2025

HR 1054: Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act of 2025

HR 1054, the Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act of 2025, increases the annual tax deduction available to eligible K-12 teachers for out-of-pocket classroom expenses. The bill raises the deduction limit from $250 to $1,000 per year for qualifying educators, applying to taxable years beginning December 31, 2025. It amends Internal Revenue Code sections 62(a)(2)(D) and 62(d)(3) to update the deduction amount and relevant tax year references. This change directly affects elementary and secondary school teachers who itemize deductions and incur eligible classroom costs. The bill makes no other policy changes beyond modernizing the deduction amount and effective date.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases teacher tax deduction from $250 to $1,000, providing direct tax relief for educators (middle-income group) under tax policy.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill increases tax deduction for K-12 teachers' classroom expenses from $250 to $1,000, directly supporting educators financially per bill summary.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases tax deduction for educators' classroom expenses, directly supporting teacher financial benefits and workplace support.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Financial Aid Teachers

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in committee · United States · House Jan 22, 2026

HR 7202: Invest in Rural Teachers Act

The Invest in Rural Teachers Act creates a federal program to provide $5,000 annually for three years to teachers who agree to work in rural schools. Funded with $500 million per year from 2027 through 2030, it allows states to award grants to school districts and educational agencies to pay these bonuses for both new hires (signing bonuses) and teachers who stay for three years (retention bonuses). The program requires states to prioritize hiring teachers who grew up in the local rural communities they serve and to partner with colleges to recruit teachers for rural schools. This directly affects rural school districts and teachers by offering financial incentives to attract and retain educators in underserved areas.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds $500M/year federal program for rural teacher bonuses, increasing public education spending through dedicated budget allocation.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides $500M/year for rural teacher bonuses to improve recruitment/retention in K-12 schools, directly funding educators in underserved areas.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides $5,000 annual bonuses for rural teachers (signing/retention), directly funding employment incentives and workforce retention in education sector.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Student Financial Aid Teachers Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · House Jan 31, 2025

HR 833: Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025

HR 833 creates a federal tax credit for individuals and corporations that contribute to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) providing scholarships for elementary and secondary education. The credit allows taxpayers to deduct up to 10% of their adjusted gross income or $5,000 (whichever is less) for contributions to SGOs serving students from households with income up to 300% of the area median income. The bill establishes a $10 billion annual cap on the tax credit program, requires SGOs to verify student eligibility and maintain separate accounts, and prohibits government control over SGOs or private schools. It ensures scholarships can be used at public, private, or religious schools without discrimination based on religious character. The tax credit would be available for contributions made after December 31, 2025, with annual volume cap increases based on usage.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates tax credits for K-12 scholarships, expanding educational access for low-income families through private school choice programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · House Jul 22, 2025

HR 4588: Supporting Apprenticeship Colleges Act of 2025

This bill establishes two grant programs to support construction and manufacturing apprenticeship colleges. It provides up to $500,000 per college for community outreach (e.g., connecting with high schools, rural businesses, and workforce boards) and student support services (e.g., academic advising, mental health resources, childcare). The grants target increasing enrollment and completion rates for underrepresented groups, including rural students, first-generation college students, and minorities. Funding of $5 million annually (2026-2030) requires colleges to report on program outcomes like retention rates and diversity metrics. The law directly affects apprenticeship colleges offering work-based training in construction and manufacturing fields.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides $500k grants for student support services (advising, childcare, mental health) targeting underrepresented groups to boost enrollment/completion in apprenticeship colleges, advancing educational access and funding.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds apprenticeship colleges to increase enrollment/completion for underrepresented groups, advancing workforce development and employment standards through skill-building pathways in high-demand sectors.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Higher Education Student Financial Aid Apprenticeships Workforce Development

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in committee · United States · House Mar 14, 2025

HR 2097: Education, Achievement, and Opportunity Act

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credit for education expenses targeting middle-income families (phases out above $75k/$150k), reducing tax burden. Aligns with tax relief indicators.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides $10k tax credit for K-12 education expenses, expanding access to public/private schools and funding qualified costs like tuition and tutoring.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits K-12 Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · United States · Senate May 20, 2025

S 1810: Universal School Choice Act

The Universal School Choice Act would create a federal tax credit for individuals and corporations that contribute to scholarship granting organizations. Individuals could claim a credit equal to 10% of their adjusted gross income or $5,000 (whichever is less), while corporations could claim a credit up to 5% of their taxable income. The credit would fund scholarships for qualified education expenses at public or private schools, including religious schools, with a $10 billion annual cap on total credits. Scholarship granting organizations would need to meet specific requirements, including verifying household income for low-income students and undergoing annual audits, while prohibiting government control over these organizations or discrimination against religious schools.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates federal tax credits (10% AGI/$5k for individuals, 5% for corps) providing tax relief, directly advancing tax policy as per indicators.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds K-12 education via tax credits for scholarships at public/private schools, expanding access and creating new funding streams.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits School Choice Student Financial Aid

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