Education

in committee · United States · House Oct 8, 2025

HRES 797: Expressing concern about the growing problem of book banning and the proliferation of threats to freedom of expression in the United States.

HRES 797 is a non-binding resolution expressing concern about the rising number of book bans in U.S. schools and libraries. It cites PEN America data showing 6,870 book bans affecting 3,751 titles between July 2024 and June 2025, with books about race, LGBTQ+ experiences, and marginalized communities disproportionately targeted (e.g., *The Handmaid’s Tale*, *Maus*, *This Book Is Gay*). The resolution calls on schools to follow best practices for book challenges, protect students’ access to diverse materials, and return books removed from military schools under recent executive orders. It directly addresses students, educators, librarians, and authors impacted by censorship, emphasizing that such bans threaten free expression and democratic values.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly addresses book bans in schools targeting marginalized communities and calls to protect student access to diverse educational materials, advancing curriculum freedom and access in K-12 education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Libraries

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 11, 2025

S 2026: Court Legal Access and Student Support Act of 2025

This bill prohibits colleges and universities from requiring students to waive their right to sue in court through enrollment agreements. It blocks institutions from including forced arbitration clauses or other restrictions (like limiting choice of law, jury trials, or court locations) in contracts with students. The law amends the Higher Education Act to ensure students can pursue legal claims against schools directly in court, rather than through private dispute resolution. It applies to all enrollment agreements between students and institutions of higher education, effective one year after enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects student legal rights against institutions by blocking forced arbitration, ensuring access to courts for disputes under higher education policy.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

in committee · United States · Senate May 13, 2025

S 1723: Equitable Access to School Facilities Act

S 1723, the Equitable Access to School Facilities Act, provides federal funding to help states create or improve programs that support charter schools' access to facilities. It authorizes $100 million annually (2026-2030) for competitive grants to state education agencies, prioritizing states that expand charter school access to public buildings, provide tax-exempt financing, or grant charter schools first rights to purchase surplus public property. States using these funds must focus on reducing facility funding gaps between charter schools and traditional public schools, particularly in low-income and rural communities, while supplementing (not replacing) existing state funding. The bill also includes provisions for technical assistance and grants to help charter schools meet building codes and secure facilities.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $100M annually for charter school facility access, prioritizing tax-exempt financing and state funding programs, directly advancing education budget initiatives.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates $100M annually to expand charter school facility access, directly funding K-12 infrastructure and increasing educational access through competitive grants.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Libraries School Choice School Funding

Track

in committee · United States · House Aug 15, 2025

HR 4973: Fulbright Teacher’s Loan Forgiveness Act

This bill amends the Higher Education Act to include Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program and Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program participation as qualifying public service employment for student loan forgiveness. It directly affects teachers who serve in these Fulbright programs, allowing them to count their service toward existing loan cancellation benefits under the public service repayment plan. The key provision adds a specific definition to the law, treating Fulbright teaching roles as equivalent to other public service jobs for loan forgiveness eligibility. This change expands access to an existing program without altering the core loan forgiveness mechanism. The bill does not create new benefits but makes Fulbright teaching service eligible under current rules.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationDirectly supports teachers by enabling Fulbright teaching service to count toward student loan forgiveness, strengthening educator retention and access.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands loan forgiveness benefits for Fulbright teachers by including their service in public service loan repayment, directly supporting workers' financial well-being and employment benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid Teachers

Track

in committee · United States · House Jul 17, 2025

HR 4534: Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families Act

HR 4534 makes Executive Order 14191 legally binding by codifying it into law, directly affecting private, religious, and parochial elementary and secondary schools. The bill's key provision converts the executive order - which aims to expand educational freedom - into permanent law. It explicitly states this change does not alter whether these schools receive federal funding under Title IX or are considered state actors for Fourteenth Amendment liability purposes. The law focuses on establishing the executive order as enforceable policy without modifying existing civil rights protections for schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill codifies executive order expanding educational freedom for private/religious schools, directly advancing access and opportunity without restrictions or defunding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 23, 2025

S 2140: Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act

The Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act would transform Haskell Indian Nations University from a Bureau of Indian Education institution into a federally chartered corporation with its own independent board of trustees. This change would allow the university to operate independently from the Bureau of Indian Education, accept private donations as a tax-exempt organization, and develop its own policies to better serve its students. The bill aims to address longstanding challenges with facility maintenance, program management, and funding dependency that have affected the university's ability to provide quality education to its approximately 900 enrolled students representing 140 tribes. The new board would be composed of 15 voting members (all enrolled in Indian Tribes) and 1 student member, with the goal of improving the university's educational mission and campus environment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationTransforms university governance to enable private donations and independent policy-making, enhancing higher education access and funding opportunities for a tribal institution.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

in committee · United States · House Apr 7, 2025

HRES 297: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that paraprofessionals and education support staff should have fair compensation, benefits, and working conditions.

HRES 297 is a non-binding resolution expressing the House of Representatives' support for fair compensation, benefits, and working conditions for paraprofessionals (like instructional assistants) and education support staff (including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and clerical staff) in schools. It specifically calls for livable wages, job security, access to affordable health care, paid leave, and meaningful input in school policies for these workers. As a resolution, it does not create new laws or mandate changes but serves as a symbolic statement highlighting these workers' needs. The resolution directly addresses the concerns of over 3 million school support staff facing issues like underpayment, lack of benefits, and job instability.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly advocates for fair wages/benefits for school support staff, directly strengthening educational access and school operations through improved staff retention and morale.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExplicitly demands affordable health care access for education staff as part of fair compensation, directly advancing healthcare access for workers.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly demands fair compensation, benefits, and working conditions for paraprofessionals/education staff, directly advancing labor protections per topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers Labor Standards Minimum Wage Paid Leave

Track

in committee · United States · House Dec 18, 2025

HR 6886: Reverse Transfer Efficiency Act of 2025

HR 6886, the Reverse Transfer Efficiency Act of 2025, simplifies the process for college students who transfer between institutions to earn a recognized postsecondary credential (like an associate degree) using previously earned credits. It amends federal education law to allow students to send their course records to a prior college for credential completion, provided they give written consent. The key change adds a new provision (M) to the law, removing barriers that previously prevented institutions from sharing these records without explicit student permission. This directly affects transfer students, particularly those moving from community colleges to four-year schools, by making it easier to complete lower-level credentials they started earlier. The bill focuses on administrative efficiency, not funding or program changes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves barriers for students to earn associate degrees via transfer credits, expanding postsecondary access and credential completion opportunities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

Track

in committee · United States · House Dec 12, 2025

HR 6686: No Cost Educational Resources Act of 2025

This bill creates grants to help colleges adopt free digital textbooks (open educational resources) in science, technology, engineering, and math courses. It directly affects institutions of higher education, requiring them to collaborate with librarians and STEM faculty to implement these courses. Key provisions include prioritizing schools with many low-income or minority students, mandating plans for faculty collaboration, and requiring annual reports on cost savings for students compared to traditional textbooks. The law defines "open educational reading materials" as free, downloadable digital texts and tracks how many STEM courses transition to using them.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates grants for free digital textbooks in STEM, prioritizing low-income/minority institutions, reducing student costs and improving access. Directly funds educational resources for higher education.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyFunds free digital textbooks in STEM courses, promoting digital equity and reducing costs for students, especially low-income/ minority groups, advancing educational technology access.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education Libraries

Track

in committee · United States · House Mar 14, 2025

HR 2106: Expanding Medical Education Act

HR 2106, the Expanding Medical Education Act, provides federal grants to establish or expand medical and osteopathic medicine schools in underserved areas. It prioritizes institutions in regions with no existing medical schools or minority-serving institutions, targeting recruitment of students from rural, low-income, and underrepresented racial/ethnic backgrounds. The bill requires grantees to develop curricula focused on care for underserved populations and modernize facilities. Recipients must report annually on student demographics and program outcomes, with public reports to Congress every five years tracking impacts on healthcare access and workforce diversity.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides federal grants to expand medical education access in underserved areas, targeting underrepresented groups and modernizing facilities for higher education.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProvides federal grants to expand medical schools in underserved areas, prioritizing underrepresented groups to improve healthcare access and workforce diversity.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

Track