HR 2080, the "Crucial Communism Teaching Act," requires high schools to teach students about communism's historical and current impacts. The bill mandates that students learn communism caused over 100 million deaths globally, understand its dangers, and recognize that 1.5 billion people "still suffer under communism." It directs the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to develop a high school curriculum and oral history resources ("Portraits in Patriotism") featuring victim stories, with specific focus on modern examples like Xinjiang human rights abuses and China's actions in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The curriculum must be integrated into social studies, government, history, and economics classes, and updated to cover both historical and current communist regimes.
HR 4945, the GO Ag Act, creates a $5 million grant program to fund new agricultural education programs in secondary schools. It provides competitive grants (max $100,000 per school) for schools to develop new programs focused on agriculture, including curriculum, equipment, and work-based learning. To qualify, schools must show programs are new, align with regional employer needs, and include sustainable funding beyond the grant. Grantees must track student progress (including special populations) and submit annual reports on program effectiveness through 2028.
The RAISE Act of 2025 amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states to establish academic standards for artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in K-12 education. It directly affects public K-12 schools and state education agencies by mandating the inclusion of AI-related learning standards within state curriculum frameworks. The key provision inserts the requirement for these standards into existing law, specifically modifying Section 1111(b)(1)(C) to include "standards for artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies." This policy change focuses on integrating AI education into foundational curriculum requirements without specifying funding or implementation details.
This bill requires U.S. public schools (K-12) to integrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history into existing American history and civics curricula. It amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to mandate that state standards, teacher training programs, and national assessments explicitly include this history. Key provisions include adding specific language to curriculum guidelines, teacher certification requirements, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The law directly affects school districts, educators, and students by requiring comprehensive coverage of these histories within current educational frameworks.
HR 7262, the READ Act, provides $200 million annually (2026-2030) to help schools recover after disasters. It directs funds to state education agencies, which then distribute them to local public schools and non-public schools serving areas hit by declared disasters (like hurricanes or wildfires). Funds cover immediate recovery needs such as replacing lost student data, repairing minor facility damage, renting temporary classrooms, and replacing basic instructional materials - while prohibiting major construction or ideological content. Non-public schools must receive funding proportional to their student enrollment, ensuring equitable support compared to public schools. The bill requires funds to supplement, not replace, existing disaster aid.
HR 2617, the "Say No to Indoctrination Act," amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to prohibit public K-12 schools receiving federal funds from teaching "concepts related to gender ideology" as defined in Executive Order 14168. The bill adds this specific restriction to Section 8526 of the ESEA, directly affecting curriculum content in federally funded schools. This policy change would require schools to avoid instructional materials or lessons addressing gender identity concepts as defined by the referenced executive order.
HR 5056, the Teachers Are Leaders Act of 2025, creates a federal grant program to support teachers in high-need schools who maintain classroom roles while taking on leadership responsibilities. The bill provides funding for eligible school district-university partnerships to offer teachers one year of professional development leading to a teacher leadership credential, plus up to two additional years of support. This includes training in areas like curriculum development, peer coaching, and cultural competencies, with selection criteria requiring at least three years of teaching experience and certification. Grants cover 50% of stipends in the first two years and 33% in the third year, and teachers may repay credential costs if they leave the program early. The program directly affects classroom teachers in high-need schools and aims to improve student achievement through data-driven instructional practices.
This bill directs the Secretary of Education to reduce federal regulations and promote parental choice in education. It authorizes the Secretary to rescind rules limiting local control, expand access to school choice programs (like vouchers and charter schools), and reduce administrative burdens on schools. The bill affects parents, states, and local school districts by shifting decision-making authority away from federal mandates toward local communities, using existing education funding without new spending. It requires quarterly reports on unused funds and explicitly prohibits federal control over curriculum or homeschooling.
