K-12 education: Rand Paul introduces SCHOOL Act

Earlier this month, U.S. Senator and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee member Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced S. 4432, the Support Children Having Open Opportunities for Learning (SCHOOL) Act to provide parents and students with much-needed flexibility and options regarding K-12 education.

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U.S. Representative Chip Roy (R-TX-21) has since introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 8054. “The SCHOOL Act eases one of this pandemic’s most crushing burdens, returning more of families’ own money to them so they have greater flexibility to provide the best possible education for their kids and cover the costs that come with it. I am proud to be joined across the Capitol in this effort by Representative Roy as momentum builds for this much-needed legislation,” said Dr. Paul.

“Instead of limiting families’ choices, my SCHOOL Act would allow K-12 funding to be equally divided among every student, so you could put it toward the school of your choice.

“This is opposed to a status quo that sees federal education dollars sent to the states and then distributed among public school districts.

“My plan would allow each child to receive the same amount of funding, no matter where he or she were enrolled, and it would empower parents to use the funds for educational needs, including tuition, curriculum materials, technological education materials, tutoring, support for special education, or classes outside the home, Sen Paul said.

“And this would apply regardless of whether it’s for public school, private school, or homeschool!

“In addition to ensuring that students who choose to take advantage of these opportunities could also still benefit from federally funded school food programs, my SCHOOL Act would protect non-public education providers from federal and state control.”

“As our nation battles the coronavirus, we should not force parents into the untenable position of having to balance providing for their families while educating their children. The SCHOOL Act will ensure parents are able to make the best decision to fit the educational needs of their children. I am proud to have Sen. Rand Paul lead the effort in the Senate to make sure parents have the flexibility to make the best possible decisions for their children,” said Rep. Roy.

The SCHOOL Act amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to allow certain funds authorized under those laws to follow a child, whether learning in person or remotely, to the public school, private school, or homeschool of the family’s choice

•    Allows those funds to be used for a range of needs, including:

◦    Curriculum materials
◦    Technological educational materials
◦    Tutoring
◦    Extracurricular activities
◦    Private school tuition; and
◦    Support for Special Education

•    Ensures each child would receive the same amount of funding, regardless of where the child is enrolled

•    Ensures students who choose to take advantage of these opportunities could still benefit from federally funded school food programs

•    Protects non-public education providers from federal and state control

You can read the legislation HERE.


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