Top Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 09/30/2008 - Presented to President.

Bill Text
To amend the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 to make permanent the favorable treatment of need-based educational aid under the antitrust laws.

4/30/2008--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries)

Need-Based Educational Aid Act of 2008 - Amends the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 to make permanent the antitrust exemption that allows institutions of higher education that admit all students on a need-blind basis to enter into agreements, or attempt to enter into agreements, among themselves regarding the administration of need-based financial aid.

Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

Bill Text
To expand the eligibility of individuals to qualify for loan forgiveness for teachers in order to provide additional incentives for teachers currently employed or seeking employment in economically depressed rural areas, Territories, and Indian Reservations. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Teacher Recruitment Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to establish new programs for teacher student loan forgiveness under the guaranteed loan program and the direct loan program. Makes eligible for such student loan forgiveness any new borrower on or after October 1, 1998, who is: (1) employed as a full-time teacher in a public elementary or secondary school in an economically disadvantaged or depressed and underserved rural area; (2) state-certified or state-licensed to teach, and in compliance with state or local accountability standards; and (3) not in default on the loan. Directs the Secretary to establish a formula that ensures fairness and equality for applicants [...]

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Latest Action: 01/05/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E33)

Bill Text
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to encourage teachers to pursue teaching math and science subjects at elementary and secondary schools.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

National Science Education Tax Incentive for Teachers Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain full-time elementary and secondary school teachers of math, science, engineering, or technology courses a refundable tax credit for 10% of their undergraduate tuition up to $1,000 in any taxable year. Increases such credit amount to $1,500 for teachers in schools serving children with disabilities.

Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S81)

Bill Text
A bill to amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure that social work students or social work schools are eligible for support under certain programs to assist individuals in pursuing health careers and programs of grants for training projects in geriatrics, and to establish a social work training program. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Strengthen Social Work Training Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to include clinical psychology and social work programs among eligible health education programs for purposes of receiving grants to: (1) support programs for underrepresented minorities; (2) provide scholarships to disadvantaged students; and (3) offer faculty positions to disadvantaged students. Allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to, and enter into contracts with: (1) schools offering degrees in social work to provide support for geriatric training projects; (2) hospitals, schools, or other entities to plan or operate [...]

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Latest Action: 03/28/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E682-683)

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to make grants to States for assistance in hiring additional school-based mental health and student service providers. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Student Support Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education to make matching grants of at least $1 million to states for allocation to local educational agencies (LEAs) so that additional school-based mental health and student service providers may be hired, thereby reducing the student-to-provider ratios in elementary and secondary schools to specified levels recommended by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Includes school counselors, school psychologists or other psychologists, child or adolescent psychiatrists, and school social workers among such providers. Requires grants to states and state allocations to LEAs to be made pursuant to specified [...]

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Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to authorize resources for a grant program for local educational agencies to create innovation districts. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Innovation Districts for School Improvement Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to 10 urban and 10 non-urban local educational agencies (LEAs) for the creation of innovation districts. Requires the LEAs to: (1) establish tests and longitudinal data systems to track the academic progress of each elementary and secondary school student and use such performance measures in evaluating and awarding school personnel and programs; (2) work with teacher representatives and other community partners to attain the administrative flexibility to staff more equitably all agency schools with effective personnel; (3) evaluate and award effective teachers on the basis of student progress and observations of teacher performance; (4) provide grants to recent college graduates and mid-career professionals to attend LEA-established [...]

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Latest Action: 04/26/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5177)

Bill Text
A bill to authorize resources to provide students with opportunities for summer learning through summer learning grants.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Summer Term Education Programs for Upward Performance Act of 2007, or the STEP UP Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive demonstration grants to state educational agencies to pay the federal share of summer learning grants for eligible students to be summer scholars in summer learning opportunity programs primarily designed to increase the literacy and numeracy of such students.

Latest Action: 02/28/2008 - Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.

Bill Text
To provide for the implementation of the recommendations of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. 8/3/2007--Public Law.    (There are 2 other summaries) Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 - Provides for implementation of recommendations of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission).Title I: Homeland Security Grants - (Sec. 101) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) to establish Homeland Security Grant Programs (consisting of an Urban Area Security Initiative and a State Homeland Security Grant Program). Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (the Secretary) to award Program grants through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Provides that none of the provisions regarding grants to states and high-risk urban areas shall be construed to affect programs authorized under the Federal Fire Prevention [...]

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Latest Action: 01/16/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S572-573)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a program demonstrating multiple approaches to Lifelong Learning Accounts, which are portable, worker-owned savings accounts that can be used by workers to help finance education, training, and apprenticeships and which are intended to supplement both public and employer-provided education and training resources, and for other purposes.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Lifelong Learning Accounts Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish a tax-exempt lifelong learning account for the payment of certain employee higher education and training expenses; (2) allow individuals a nonrefundable tax credit for contributions to such accounts; and (3) allow employers a business-related tax credit for contributions to such accounts.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to study and report to Congress on such accounts and the tax credits enacted by this Act.

Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To authorize the appropriation of funds to be used to recruit, hire, and train 100,000 new classroom paraprofessionals in order to improve educational achievement for children.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Directs the Secretary of Education to allot funds to states for distribution to local educational agencies (LEAs) to recruit, hire, and train 100,000 new classroom paraprofessionals in order to improve educational achievement for children.

Requires that 80% of a state's allotment be allocated to LEAs on the basis of relative numbers of children from families with incomes below the poverty line residing in their school districts, and that the remainder be allocated on the basis of relative enrollments.

Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 09/12/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8482-8498)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to expand and improve opportunities for service, and for other purposes. 9/12/2008--Introduced. Serve America Act - Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to create two new service-learning programs: (1) a Youth Engagement Zones to Strengthen Communities program, providing competitive grants to partnerships between local educational agencies that serve high-need, low-income communities and certain community-based or state entities to engage students and out-of-school youth in service-learning addressing specific challenges faced by their communities; and (2) a Campus of Service program, which annually grants up to 30 institutions of higher education (IHEs) with exemplary service-learning programs the funds to assist their students' pursuit of public service careers, and the right to nominate additional individuals for ServeAmerica Fellowships. Directs the Corporation for National and Community [...]

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Latest Action: 08/01/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to establish expanded learning time initiatives, and for other purposes. 8/1/2008--Introduced. Time for Innovation Matters in Education Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to states to enable them to award competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or partnerships between LEAs and other public or nonprofit entities to plan and implement expanded learning time initiatives at high-need schools that they serve. Requires such initiatives to: (1) increase the total number of school hours each year at participant schools by at least 30%, compared to the school hours per year that are standard for comparable schools in their school district; and (2) expand learning time for all students in all grade levels in such schools, except in high schools where expanded learning time must apply to at least one entire grade level. Directs states to give subgrant priority to LEAs that serve a high percentage [...]

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Latest Action: 08/01/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1677)

Bill Text
To provide assistance to local educational agencies in areas of the Midwest adversely affected by storms and severe flooding that occurred in May and June, 2008, and for other purposes. 7/31/2008--Introduced. Midwest Schools Disaster Recovery Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make payments to Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin to enable such states to assist their local educational agencies (LEAs) in recovering from the severe storms and flooding that hit the Midwest during the months of May and June, 2008. Protects such LEAs, that serve major disaster areas due to those storms and floods, from experiencing a FY2009 reduction of school improvement funds under part A of title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Authorizes the Secretary to waive or modify the application of maintenance of effort and cost-sharing conditions on the receipt [...]

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Latest Action: 09/26/2008 - Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H10116)

Bill Text
Acknowledging the accomplishments and goals of the Youth Impact Program.

8/1/2008--Introduced.

Congratulates Mr. Riki Ellison for his leadership and vision in founding the Youth Impact Program (which provides at-risk young men in the inner cities with football training and mentoring designed to improve their academic performance and character).

Recognizes the contributions of the National Football League, the University of Southern California, and Tulane University to the Youth Impact program.

Encourages the expansion of the Youth Impact Program to inner cities across the nation.

Latest Action: 07/30/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to increase the recruitment and retention of school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists by low-income local educational agencies. 7/30/2008--Introduced. Increased Student Achievement Through Increased Student Support Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive, renewable, five-year grants to partnerships between low-income local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools offering graduate programs in school counseling, social work, or psychology to increase the number of program graduates employed by low-income LEAs. Defines "low-income LEAs" as those that: (1) serve students at least 20% of which are from low-income families; (2) have ratios of school counselors, social workers, and psychologists to students that fall at least 10% below specified target ratios; and (3) have been identified as needing improvement or corrective action or include at least one school identified as needing improvement, corrective action,[...]

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Latest Action: 07/30/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To increase the recruitment and retention of school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists by low-income local educational agencies. 7/30/2008--Introduced. Increased Student Achievement Through Increased Student Support Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive, renewable, five-year grants to partnerships between low-income local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools offering graduate programs in school counseling, social work, or psychology to increase the number of program graduates employed by low-income LEAs. Defines "low-income LEAs" as those that: (1) serve students at least 20% of which are from low-income families; (2) have ratios of school counselors, social workers, and psychologists to students that fall at least 10% below specified target ratios; and (3) have been identified as needing improvement or corrective action or include at least one school identified as needing improvement, corrective action, [...]

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Latest Action: 07/28/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to create a demonstration project to fund additional secondary school counselors in troubled title I schools to reduce the dropout rate. 7/28/2008--Introduced. Put School Counselors Where They're Needed Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to implement a demonstration project providing competitive, four-year grants to at least 10 secondary schools that have a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate of 60% or lower, for the provision of additional school counselors and counselor resources. Expresses the sense of Congress that grantees should provide one additional counselor for every 250 students at risk. Requires the additional school counselors to serve primarily students identified as being at risk of not graduating in four years. Makes grantees that demonstrate progress in improving their graduation rates eligible for [...]

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Latest Action: 07/24/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7289-7290)

Bill Text
A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to local education agencies to improve college access. 7/24/2008--Introduced. Pathways to College Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive 5-year grants to local educational agencies that serve mostly high-need secondary schools for programs to increase the number of students from low-income families who attend college. Defines "high-need secondary schools" as those where at least one-half of the students are from low-income families. Requires grantees to use such funds to: (1) train teachers and counselors to provide students with advice concerning postsecondary education; (2) ensure that each student receives postsecondary information and planning assistance before the end of their first semester of secondary school; (3) inform students and parents regarding the benefits, expenses, and financing of higher education; and (4) ensure that their schools develop comprehensive,[...]

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Latest Action: 07/22/2008 - Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6781-6783)

Bill Text
Expressing support for the designation of National GEAR UP Day.

7/22/2008--Passed House without amendment.    (There is 1 other summary)

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Expresses support for the designation of a National GEAR UP Day. (GEAR UP is the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program, created to facilitate the transition of low-income high school students into postsecondary education.)