A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Kids in Classes Act" changes how certain Federal education funds are used when schools are closed. If a public school receiving these funds fails to provide in-person instruction for more than 3 days due to collective bargaining or public health emergencies, the money can be paid directly to parents. These payments are meant to cover qualified educational expenses. Local educational agencies must create a plan to handle these payments to remain eligible for funding.
Yes· 3 of 22
- Scored +8
Does this make it easier to use public money at a school other than the local one?
Allows parents to use public funds for private school tuition and tutoring when public schools are unavailable.
- Scored +7
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Provides direct financial support for educational expenses to families in the poorest neighborhoods.
- Scored +6
Would children be better off under this?
Ensures students have access to educational materials and tutoring when schools are closed.
The opposite· 3 of 4
- Scored -5
Would union members be better off under this?
Disincentivizes strikes by redirecting funding to parents during collective bargaining closures.
- Scored -5
Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise?
The bill creates financial penalties for schools during collective bargaining actions by redirecting funds to parents.
- Scored -3
Does this put more money into public schools?
Redirects public school funding away from the institution and to parents during closures.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Direct Financial Support for Education: Parents can receive direct payments for "qualified educational expenses" such as tutoring, private school tuition, books, and educational therapies for students with disabilities if a school fails to provide in-person instruction (Section 3(f)(1)(C) and (f)(3)(A)).
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Support for Disadvantaged Students: The bill identifies that school closures disproportionately harm students in the poorest neighborhoods, students of color, and those with limited English proficiency (Section 2). By providing funds for alternative educational materials and services during closures, it aims to address these learning gaps (Section 2).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Requirement to Track Spending: Parents who receive direct payments must submit receipts to the local educational agency or return any unused funds within 30 days after the school reopens (Section 3(f)(3)(D)).
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Funding Eligibility Risks: Local educational agencies must establish and agree to a "failure to open direct payment plan" to remain eligible to receive funds under this part of the law (Section 3(f)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Provides direct financial support for educational expenses to families in the poorest neighborhoods. Would children be better off under this? — Ensures students have access to educational materials and tutoring when schools are closed. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Provides specific funding for educational therapies for students with disabilities. Would students be better off under this? — Ensures continued access to learning tools and services when in-person school is unavailable. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Explicitly targets the mitigation of learning loss for students of color. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — Explicitly targets the mitigation of learning loss for students of color. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Explicitly targets the mitigation of learning loss for students of color. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Explicitly targets the mitigation of learning loss for students of color. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Targets high-poverty urban neighborhoods where school closures are most impactful. Would immigrants be better off under this? — Provides support for students with limited English proficiency. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Provides financial flexibility for educational alternatives during school closures. Would business owners be better off under this? — Increases potential revenue for private tutors and private schools. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Provides funding for educational alternatives in areas where schools may close. Would white Americans be better off under this? — Provides funding for educational alternatives during closures. Would high-income households be better off under this? — Provides additional funding, although they are less dependent on it. Would union members be better off under this? — Disincentivizes strikes by redirecting funding to parents during collective bargaining closures.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill specifically aims to mitigate learning gaps that disproportionately affect students of color during school closures. Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — Direct payments specifically include funding for educational therapies for students with disabilities. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Targets educational losses in the poorest 20 percent of neighborhoods by providing alternative funding. Does this make child care cost less? — Provides parents with funds to cover educational expenses when public schools are closed.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make it easier to use public money at a school other than the local one? — Allows parents to use public funds for private school tuition and tutoring when public schools are unavailable. Does this put more money into public schools? — Redirects public school funding away from the institution and to parents during closures.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Increased payments to parents for tutoring and educational materials may increase demand for small private educational services. Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise? — The bill creates financial penalties for schools during collective bargaining actions by redirecting funds to parents.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Imposes new federal requirements on local educational agencies to remain eligible for funding. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — Limits local agency discretion over the use of Title I funds during closures.
- 3/12/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.