Rather than tying teachers' hands with heavily regulated and tightly restricted grant programs, the act will allow educators greater flexibility to receive money for any of the authorized uses of the existing 31 programs. School districts could choose to put greater amounts of federal money into priorities such as school technology, teacher improvement and school reform. First, the bill will take many competitive federal grant programs that rarely reach local classrooms and consolidate these grants so they are driven to the local level. Second, the bill will lift scores of restrictions that keep many school districts from even applying for grants in the existing 31 programs. That's a solid boost in federal education funding for public schools.
Schools districts can have it either way.
Our bill allows districts to receive consolidated funds, but if school districts determine that they want to continue with the activities and services they carried out under the previous programs, they can use the grant for these exact same purposes. Funds for disadvantaged students. Children in disadvantaged classrooms and their teachers will see more federal funds because of this bill. States will be required to develop a funding formula for distributing funds to school districts that takes into account children living in poverty, rural areas and other children who cost more to educate. 26 permissible uses.