Keep Kids in School Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4872
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-09T21:01:49Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation establishes a federal grant program to assist state and local educational agencies in reducing chronic absenteeism and fostering safe learning environments in public elementary and secondary schools.
Key Provisions
- Grant Program: The Secretary of Education awards grants to state educational agencies, which then distribute subgrants to local educational agencies. The Secretary must give preference to states with high chronic absenteeism rates or those serving vulnerable student populations.
- Use of Funds: Local educational agencies may use subgrant funds for activities such as hiring counselors, mental health professionals, social workers, or family liaisons; providing teacher stipends for home visits; supporting safety and absenteeism programming; covering transportation costs; and conducting research and data collection on absenteeism patterns.
- Reporting Requirements: Local educational agencies must submit reports to their state educational agency within three years on the impact of funds and any reduction in chronic absenteeism rates; states forward these to the Secretary.
- Study: The Comptroller General must conduct a study on chronic absenteeism and safe learning environments, examining evidence-based interventions, and submit a report within one year to congressional committees and the Secretary.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The Act creates a new standalone grant program under the definitions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. It does not amend existing statutes but introduces targeted federal funding and oversight mechanisms focused specifically on chronic absenteeism (defined as 10 percent or more absences) and school safety.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases administrative responsibilities for the Department of Education in grant allocation and reporting, and for state and local educational agencies in application processes and data tracking.
- Citizens: May expand access to support services such as mental health professionals and transportation for students in participating schools.
- International Relations: No direct effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State educational agencies and local educational agencies.
- Public elementary and secondary schools.
- Students experiencing chronic absenteeism and their families.
- The Secretary of Education and the Comptroller General.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill relies on federal spending authority to support state and local education efforts without creating new regulatory mandates or altering constitutional divisions of education authority. No specific legal or constitutional challenges are addressed in the text.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2026-06-23: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Keep Kids in School Act — issued 2026-06-23 — PDF (6 pages)