SCHOOL Act of 2025

Bill Number: H.R. 2275
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Education
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-03-21: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Last Updated: 2026-04-08T15:06:37Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The SCHOOL Act of 2025 aims to reform federal funding for K-12 education by allowing funds to "follow the student" to their chosen learning environment—whether public schools, private schools, or home schools. This promotes greater parental choice in education, including remote or in-person learning, while ensuring equitable allocation of resources.

Key Provisions

Allocation of Funds: State educational agencies (SEAs) must distribute federal grants from Titles I, III, IV, V, and VI of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, and from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), based on the number of eligible children (ages 5-17 for ESEA; children with disabilities for IDEA) enrolled in public, private, or home schools.
Funds go to local educational agencies (LEAs) for public school students.
For private or home school students, funds are provided directly via education savings accounts (ESAs), which are accounts allowing parents to use money for approved educational expenses.
Allowable Uses of Funds: Includes curriculum materials, books, online resources, tutoring, private school tuition, extracurricular activities, testing fees, diagnostic tools, and therapies for students with disabilities. Funds must supplement (add to) non-federal resources, not replace (supplant) them.
Annual Notification and Data Collection: Parents or guardians must notify LEAs yearly about their child's school choice (public, private, or home). States collect this data only for fund allocation purposes.
Equal Per-Child Funding: Allocations provide the same amount per eligible child, regardless of school type, calculated annually by SEAs based on enrollment reports from LEAs.
Rules of Construction:
Does not affect eligibility for federal school lunch programs.
Prohibits federal or state control over non-public (private or home) schools.
Application to Private Schools: Existing ESEA rules on equitable participation for private school students apply.

The changes apply "notwithstanding any other provision of law" but only to the extent allowed under state law.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Amendments to ESEA and IDEA: Adds a new "Funds to Follow the Student" section to ESEA Title VIII (general provisions) and IDEA Part A (state eligibility). Previously, these federal funds were primarily allocated to public schools and LEAs, with limited direct support for private or home school students.
Introduction of ESAs: Shifts some funding from public school systems to individual student accounts for non-public options, enabling direct parental control over spending.
Equity Across School Types: Removes barriers to equal funding per child, extending federal support beyond public schools while maintaining supplement-not-supplant requirements (a rule ensuring federal money adds to, rather than replaces, local funding).

Potential Impacts

On Government Agencies: SEAs and LEAs face increased administrative duties for tracking enrollments, distributing funds via ESAs, and ensuring compliance. This could raise costs for data management but streamline funding for student-centered education.
On Citizens: Parents gain more flexibility in choosing schools, potentially improving access to tailored education (e.g., for disabilities or remote learning). Students in private or home schools could receive direct federal support for the first time at scale, though implementation depends on state laws.
On International Relations: No direct impact, as this is a domestic education policy.
Broader Effects: May encourage school choice programs, potentially shifting enrollment and budgets from public to non-public schools, affecting public school resources if fewer students attend them.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Students and Families: Eligible K-12 children (especially those with disabilities) and their parents/guardians, who benefit from choice and direct funding access.
Educational Providers: Public schools and LEAs (fund recipients for public students); private and home schools (gain access to federal funds via ESAs, but must comply with reporting).
Government Entities: SEAs (oversee allocations); U.S. Department of Education (enforces federal rules); states (implementation varies by local laws).
Other Groups: Advocates for school choice, disability rights organizations, and public education unions, who may support or oppose expanded non-public funding.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal Implications: Relies on state permission, potentially leading to uneven nationwide implementation. Builds on existing "supplement-not-supplant" rules to avoid diverting local funds. Applies ESEA's private school participation rules, ensuring equitable services.
Constitutional Implications: Could raise Establishment Clause concerns (from the First Amendment) if ESAs fund religious private schools without adequate safeguards, though the bill prohibits government control over non-public providers. Aligns with federalism by deferring to state laws on home schooling.
Political Implications: Advances school choice agendas, often debated along partisan lines—supporters see it as empowering families, critics worry it undermines public education funding. As an introduced bill (H.R. 2275, 119th Congress), its passage would signal a shift toward voucher-like systems, influencing future education policy debates.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Roy, Chip [R-TX-21]

Recent Actions

2025-03-21: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
2025-03-21: Introduced in House
2025-03-21: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

Support Children Having Open Opportunities for Learning Act of 2025 — issued 2025-03-21 — PDF (12 pages)