I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7704 

To require the Secretary of Education to conduct a study and submit a 

report on the effect of education policies during the COVID–19 pandemic 

on the academic achievement and functional performance of students 

with an individualized education program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 15, 2024 

Mr. MOLINARO (for himself and Ms. PEREZ) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Education to conduct a study 

and submit a report on the effect of education policies 

during the COVID–19 pandemic on the academic 

achievement and functional performance of students with 

an individualized education program, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Think DIF5 FERENTLY About Ending Learning Loss Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. STUDY AND REPORT ON THE EFFECT OF COVID–19 

2 PANDEMIC POLICIES ON STUDENTS WITH AN 

3 IEP. 

4 (a) STUDY.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 

5 enactment of this section, the Secretary shall conduct a 

6 study on the effect of Federal and State education policies 

7 during the COVID–19 pandemic on the academic achieve8 ment and functional performance of students with an IEP, 

9 including policies related to remote learning and the sus10 pension or reduction of special education and related serv11 ices. 

12 (1) SCOPE.—Such study shall be conducted 

13 with respect to the 2018–2019 school year through 

14 the 2023–2024 school year, and shall compare— 

15 (A) the academic achievement and func16 tional performance of students with an IEP be17 fore, during, and after the COVID–19 pan18 demic; and 

19 (B) the access of such students to special 

20 education and related services before, during, 

21 and after the COVID–19 pandemic. 

22 (2) METRICS.—For the purposes of such study, 

23 the Secretary shall measure academic achievement 

24 and functional performance, and access to special 

25 education and related services, of students with an 

26 IEP using metrics that include— 


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1 (A) results of any standardized testing and 

2 assessments available for the school years de3 scribed in paragraph (1); 

4 (B) hours of special education and related 

5 services provided to such students in accordance 

6 with their individualized education programs 

7 during the school years described in paragraph 

8 (1); 

9 (C) reports on the progress of such stu10 dents toward meeting the annual goals and, if 

11 appropriate, benchmarks or short-term objec12 tives, of an individualized education program 

13 pursuant to subclauses (I) and (II) of section 

14 614(d)(1)(A)(i) of the Individuals with Disabil15 ities Act (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(A)(i)(I) and 

16 (II)) during the school years described in para17 graph (1) of this subsection; and 

18 (D) consultation with stakeholders, includ19 ing educators, family members, service pro20 viders, and students. 

21 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the com22 pletion of the study conducted under subsection (a), the 

23 Secretary shall submit a summary of the findings of such 

24 study to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 


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1 of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

2 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate. 

3 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 (1) INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM; 

5 IEP.—The term ‘‘individualized education program’’ 

6 or ‘‘IEP’’ means an individualized education pro7 gram defined in section 614(d) of the Individuals 

8 with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)). 

9 (2) OTHER IDEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘special 

10 education’’ and ‘‘related services’’ have the meanings 

11 given such terms, respectively, in section 602 of the 

12 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 

13 U.S.C. 1401). 

14 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

15 the Secretary of Education. 

16 (4) STUDENTS WITH AN IEP.—The term ‘‘stu17 dents with an IEP’’ means students enrolled in a 

18 public school in kindergarten through grade 12 who 

19 have an individualized education program. 

Æ 


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