A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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
This bill is known as the New Essential Education Discoveries Act of 2026. It sets up a new National Center for Advanced Development in Education within the Institute for Education Sciences. The main job of this new center is to find, build, and push for new ways to improve teaching and learning. It also focuses on closing gaps in student achievement and helping communities succeed. Additionally, the bill updates the grant program for statewide longitudinal data systems to better connect student data from early childhood all the way to the workforce.
Yes· 3 of 20
- Scored +7
Would students be better off under this?
The primary objective of the bill is to advance teaching, learning technologies, and targeted interventions directly for students.
- Scored +7
Does this put more money into scientific research?
The bill establishes a National Center for Advanced Development in Education to promote transformative research in teaching and learning technologies.
- Scored +6
Would children be better off under this?
The bill focuses heavily on improving K-12 and early childhood education, assessment tools, and learning acceleration for students.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this give people more control over their personal data?
Expanding statewide longitudinal data systems to integrate vast amounts of personal and wage records creates potential data security and privacy risks.
- Scored -2
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
The integration of multi-agency personal data in statewide systems raises concerns regarding the protection of sensitive, personally identifiable information.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Better tools for students and teachers: Section 195(b)(6) directs the new center to look into new technologies that can spot reading and speech disorders, help parents support skill growth outside of school, and give direct feedback to students on their progress.
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Targeted help for struggling students: Section 197(a)(3)(A) pushes the new center to focus on learning acceleration for students who score below proficient in math, reading, or language arts.
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Improved tracking and data access: Section 208 updates grants for statewide longitudinal data systems, which helps states connect data from early childhood, K-12 schooling, higher education, and labor markets so the public and researchers can better understand and improve educational outcomes.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Privacy and data security risks: Section 208 expands statewide longitudinal data systems to integrate massive amounts of personal information across early childhood, K-12, postsecondary education, and workforce wage records, which could create burdens or risks regarding the protection of sensitive, personally identifiable information if data safeguards fail.
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 students be better off under this? — The primary objective of the bill is to advance teaching, learning technologies, and targeted interventions directly for students. Would children be better off under this? — The bill focuses heavily on improving K-12 and early childhood education, assessment tools, and learning acceleration for students. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill directs resources toward closing achievement and opportunity gaps for struggling and underrepresented students. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill explicitly mandates research into technologies that can identify speech and reading disorders and support special education. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The legislation supports postsecondary education data integration and workforce alignment, benefiting young adults in higher education and early careers. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The focus on addressing disparities in opportunity and achievement supports minority student populations. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The focus on addressing disparities in opportunity and achievement supports minority student populations. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The legislation explicitly includes the Bureau of Indian Education data sources within the modernized longitudinal data systems. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — General improvements in education data and research benefit all student groups, including Asian Americans. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Improved educational tools and data transparency help middle-class families track and support student progress. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Statewide data systems and research dissemination help improve educational resources across diverse geographic regions, including rural areas. Would white Americans be better off under this? — General improvements in education technology and research benefit students broadly.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill establishes a National Center for Advanced Development in Education to promote transformative research in teaching and learning technologies. Does this put more money into public schools? — The legislation authorizes new appropriations for the National Center for Advanced Development in Education and competitive grants for statewide longitudinal data systems. Does this give people more control over their personal data? — Expanding statewide longitudinal data systems to integrate vast amounts of personal and wage records creates potential data security and privacy risks.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill emphasizes identifying and addressing achievement and opportunity disparities for underrepresented students. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By targeting learning acceleration and educational disparities, the bill supports better long-term socioeconomic outcomes for disadvantaged students.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill enhances statewide longitudinal data systems and reporting requirements to provide better data insights to the public and researchers. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands federal involvement through new federal centers and competitive grant programs administered by the Department of Education. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The integration of multi-agency personal data in statewide systems raises concerns regarding the protection of sensitive, personally identifiable information.
- Healthcare
- Does this put more money into medical research? — The bill establishes a new center focused on research and development in education and provides authorizations of appropriations for its activities.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — The bill invests in research, development, and data systems that support educational outcomes and workforce alignment, fostering long-term economic growth.
- 9/17/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Thomas TillisRepublican · North Carolina
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland