I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2705 
To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide assistance for 
developing countries to promote quality basic education and to establish 
the achievement of quality universal basic education in all developing 
countries as an objective of United States foreign assistance policy, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2011 
Mrs. LOWEY (for herself and Mr. REICHERT) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide 
assistance for developing countries to promote quality 
basic education and to establish the achievement of qual-
ity universal basic education in all developing countries 
as an objective of United States foreign assistance policy, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Education for All Act 
of 2011’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Throughout the world, an alarming number 
of children and youth are not receiving a basic edu-
cation. According to the Global Monitoring Report, 
approximately 67,000,000 children of primary school 
age are not in school and tens of millions drop out 
of school annually. Globally, progress is slowing, and 
if current trends continue, there could be as many 
as 72,000,000 children of primary school age out of 
school in 2015. Additionally, there were an esti-
mated 74,000,000 adolescents not enrolled in school 
and an estimated 130,000,000 youth (15 to 24 years 
old) who could not read and write in 2008. 
(2) Of the approximately 67,000,000 children 
of primary school age and 74,000,000 adolescents of 
lower secondary school age who were not in school 
in 2008, 53 percent were girls. The proportion of 
out-of-school primary age girls is highest in Arab 
states, Central Asia, South and West Asia, and sub- 
Saharan Africa. Almost 43 percent of the world’s 
out-of-school children live in sub-Saharan Africa, 
and more than 40,000,000 live in countries affected 
by conflict and fragility. A significant number of 
such children have been orphaned or otherwise nega-
tively affected by HIV/AIDS while others have been 
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victims of child labor or human trafficking. Without 
access to quality education, such children will not 
have the skills to contribute to reconstruction and 
stabilization of their countries. 
(3) The final report of the National Commis-
sion on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States 
(hereafter in this section referred to as the ‘‘Re-
port’’) concluded that education that teaches toler-
ance, the dignity and value of each individual, and 
respect for different beliefs must be a key element 
in any global strategy to eliminate terrorism. The 
Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Com-
mission on Smart Power determined that ‘‘education 
is the best hope of turning young people away from 
violence and extremism’’. 
(4) Extending the vision of educational oppor-
tunity described in the Report to all developing 
countries, including countries affected by armed con-
flict, is critical to achieve the Education for All 
Goals and prevent the rise of violent extremism 
worldwide. 
(5) The Report concluded that the United 
States Government must offer an example of moral 
leadership in the world and offer parents and their 
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children a vision of the future that emphasizes indi-
vidual educational and economic opportunity. 
(6) The Report noted that the United Nations 
has rightly equated ‘‘literacy as freedom’’, and while 
gains have been made in Arab states in reducing the 
out-of-school population, an estimated 28 percent of 
the adult population in the Arab states, or 
60,000,000 people, lack basic literacy or numeracy 
skills needed in everyday life. 
(7) The Report concluded that ensuring edu-
cational opportunity is essential to the efforts of the 
United States to defeat global terrorism and rec-
ommended that the United States Government 
‘‘should offer to join with other nations in gener-
ously supporting [spending funds] . . . directly on 
building and operating primary and secondary 
schools in those Muslim states that commit to sen-
sibly investing financial resources in public edu-
cation.’’. 
(8) At the World Education Forum held in 
Dakar, Senegal, in 2000, the United States joined 
more than 180 other countries in committing to the 
6 Education For All goals, including quality uni-
versal basic education. 
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(9) Since the World Education Forum in 2000, 
the number of children out of school has decreased 
at an average approximate rate of 4,000,000 chil-
dren per year. Despite this progress, the goal of 
achieving quality universal basic education will not 
be met, and 72,000,000 children may still be out of 
school by 2015, while millions of children in school 
are not acquiring foundational skills in literacy and 
numeracy. 
(10) The United States Agency for Inter-
national Development’s bilateral assistance helps to 
deliver a quality basic education to 61,000,000 
learners enrolled in United States Government-sup-
ported primary schools around the world. USAID 
has expertise in a number of key areas, including 
teacher training, reaching marginalized groups and 
quality measurement and has provided technical as-
sistance to governments in order to create sustain-
able educational systems. 
(11) Basic education is fundamental to develop-
ment. No country has reached sustained economic 
growth without achieving near universal primary 
education. Quality education reduces poverty and in-
equity, lays the foundation for sound governance, 
civic participation, and strong institutions, and 
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equips people with the knowledge, skills, and self-re-
liance they need to increase income and expand op-
portunities for employment. 
(12) Investing in girls’ education delivers sub-
stantial returns not only in educational attainment 
but also in increasing women’s and household in-
comes, delaying the start of sexual activity, reducing 
infant mortality, increasing women’s political partici-
pation, spurring economic growth, and delaying mar-
riage. 
(13) Education can help to protect children in 
conflict situations from physical harm, exploitation, 
and sexual abuse, as well as to avoid the recruitment 
of children into armed groups and gangs, and pro-
mote good governance and poverty reduction. Addi-
tionally, every additional year of schooling for males 
can reduce their risk of becoming involved in conflict 
by 20 percent. 
(14) In front line states, education remains a 
significant challenge. Of the 67,000,000 children of 
primary school age who are out of school, 
28,000,000, or 42 percent, are in conflict-affected 
poor countries. In Yemen, nearly 80 percent of girls 
are unlikely to enroll in school, and in Afghanistan, 
girls average only 4 years of schooling. 
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(15) Credible estimates indicate that approxi-
mately $16,000,000,000 per year of financing assist-
ance is necessary for developing countries to achieve 
quality universal basic education. 
(16) Multilateral mechanisms have been proven 
to marshal significant resources to reach global de-
velopment challenges. Funds that are transparent, 
increase partnership and coordination among gov-
ernments, private sector, and civil society, support 
national plans, are monitored for results, and hold 
all stakeholders accountable have been effective at 
providing resources to reach global challenges. 
SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO ACHIEVE QUALITY UNIVERSAL 
BASIC EDUCATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign 
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amend-
ed by inserting after section 105 the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 105A. ASSISTANCE TO ACHIEVE QUALITY UNIVERSAL 
BASIC EDUCATION. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this section to 
ensure that the United States provides the resources and 
leadership to ensure a successful international effort to 
provide all children with a quality basic education in order 
to achieve the goal of quality universal basic education 
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agreed to at the World Education Forum held in Dakar, 
Senegal, in 2000. 
‘‘(b) POLICY.—It is the policy of the United States 
to work with other countries and international and civil 
society organizations in order to achieve quality universal 
basic education by— 
‘‘(1) assisting developing countries to provide 
all children with a quality basic education, including 
through strengthening host countries’ educational 
systems; 
‘‘(2) assisting nongovernmental and multilateral 
organizations working in developing countries to pro-
vide all children with a quality basic education; and 
‘‘(3) promoting education as the foundation for 
communities’ development, including integrating en-
trepreneurial and leadership training, disaster pre-
paredness, conflict and violence prevention and miti-
gation, disease prevention and treatment, economic 
growth and agricultural activities, early childhood 
development, and democracy promotion into holistic 
assistance programs. 
‘‘(c) PRINCIPLES.—In developing the policy referred 
to in subsection (b), the United States shall be guided by 
the following principles: 
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‘‘(1) UNITED STATES RESOURCES.—To lead a 
global commitment to achieving quality universal 
basic education in developing countries, including in 
countries affected by or emerging from armed con-
flict or humanitarian crises, the United States shall 
commit substantial new resources for education in 
developing countries to expand access to quality edu-
cational opportunity and inspire confidence in such 
countries that efforts to reform education will re-
ceive adequate resources. 
‘‘(2) INTEGRATED BILATERAL AND MULTILAT-
ERAL APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.— 
United States assistance shall integrate bilateral and 
multilateral assistance modalities within the strategy 
developed pursuant to subsection (e), to be directly 
responsive to host country needs, capacity, and com-
mitment, and lead to sustainable development. The 
United States should contribute on a multilateral 
basis in a manner that leverages overall impact and 
best reinforces United States bilateral aid efforts, 
which should remain central to United States efforts 
in basic education. Bilateral and multilateral assist-
ance should be undertaken in close partnership with 
nongovernmental organizations and other develop-
ment partners, including women-led groups. 
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‘‘(3) UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE TO MULTI-
LATERAL
EDUCATION
INITIATIVES.—The United 
States shall support multilateral coordination and fi-
nancing education initiatives, including the Edu-
cation for All Fast-Track Initiative or a multilateral 
global fund for education. United States assistance 
shall build upon its comparative advantages and pro-
ficiencies 
in 
basic 
education 
programs, 
while 
leveraging the efforts of existing country-level devel-
opment 
partnerships. 
Multilateral 
mechanisms 
should be aligned with globally established aid effec-
tiveness principles, including— 
‘‘(A) alignment with recipient country pri-
orities, education plans, and planning processes; 
‘‘(B) governance shared by donors, devel-
oping country governments, and civil society; 
‘‘(C) coordination among governments, 
multilateral organizations, private sector, and 
civil society; 
‘‘(D) mutual accountability between donors 
and recipients for achieving measurable results 
in access and quality; 
‘‘(E) transparency with respect to financ-
ing, policy decisions, and impact; and 
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‘‘(F) predictable, long-term funding dis-
bursed in a timely manner. 
‘‘(4) OTHER
MAJOR
DONORS.—The United 
States Government should encourage other donors to 
contribute commensurate amounts to support quality 
universal basic education, through bilateral and mul-
tilateral mechanisms and to coordinate their efforts 
with recipient countries, private entities, and other 
donors, in line with the principles of the Paris Dec-
laration. 
‘‘(5) 
PRIVATE
SECTOR
AND
NONGOVERN-
MENTAL
PARTICIPATION
AND
CONTRIBUTIONS.— 
United States efforts shall include explicit strategies 
to encourage and integrate contributions of strategic 
direction and financial resources from local and 
international private sector and civil society organi-
zations, including organizations that represent 
teachers, students, and parents, interested in sup-
porting quality universal basic education efforts. 
‘‘(6) SCHOOL ACCESS, QUALITY, AND COMPLE-
TION.—United States assistance for basic education 
in developing countries shall seek to expand access 
to quality schools and teachers for all children, par-
ticularly marginalized and vulnerable groups, includ-
ing girls, children affected by or emerging from 
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armed conflict or humanitarian crises, children with 
disabilities, children in remote or rural areas, includ-
ing those that lack access to safe water and sanita-
tion, religious or ethnic minorities, indigenous peo-
ples, orphans and children impacted by HIV/AIDS, 
child laborers, and victims of trafficking; to promote 
gender equity; and to improve the quality of edu-
cation, including foundational skills in literacy and 
numeracy, in order to increase the number of chil-
dren completing and benefitting from a basic edu-
cation. 
‘‘(7) COORDINATION
WITHIN
THE
UNITED 
STATES GOVERNMENT.—The United States Govern-
ment, led by the United States Agency for Inter-
national Development, shall support improved co-
ordination and collaboration among all departments 
and agencies of the United States Government in-
volved in providing assistance for basic education to 
developing countries to ensure efficient and effective 
use of the resources, including efforts to provide a 
continuity of assistance for basic education in hu-
manitarian and other emergency situations. 
‘‘(8) SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITIES OF LEARN-
ING.—United States assistance shall support the co-
ordination of development assistance for the holistic 
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development of communities, and where appropriate 
and to the extent practicable, utilize schools as the 
foundation for communities’ development and inte-
grate assistance programs, including health and de-
velopment programs, nutrition and school feeding 
programs, sanitation and hygiene education, adult 
literacy, leadership development, prevention of 
school-related violence, community gardens, entre-
preneurial training, agricultural extension work, civic 
education, and housing programs. 
‘‘(9) COORDINATION
WITH
NATIONAL
EDU-
CATION PLANS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRO-
GRAMS.—United States assistance for basic edu-
cation in developing countries shall be provided in 
collaboration and coordination with, where possible, 
national education plans, to reduce poverty and spur 
sustained economic growth, including through the 
promotion of the value of education and increasing 
community and family awareness of the positive im-
pact of education. The United States shall seek to 
encourage developing countries to utilize schools as 
platforms for the development of communities. Such 
assistance, to the extent practicable, shall support 
programs and activities that are appropriate for and 
meet the needs of the local and indigenous cultures 
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and carry out programs and activities through im-
plementation by country-based civil society organiza-
tions that support national education plans. 
‘‘(10) MEASURING OUTCOMES.—United States 
assistance for basic education in developing coun-
tries shall include sufficient resources for monitoring 
and evaluating the effectiveness and quality of basic 
education programs. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) HIV/AIDS.—The term ‘HIV/AIDS’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 104A(h). 
‘‘(2) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’ means— 
‘‘(A) the Committee on Appropriations and 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen-
ate; and 
‘‘(B) the Committee on Appropriations and 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives. 
‘‘(3) BASIC EDUCATION.—The term ‘basic edu-
cation’— 
‘‘(A) means an education, generally con-
sisting of completion of 9–10 years of schooling, 
including efforts to improve early childhood de-
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velopment, primary education, secondary edu-
cation, literacy and numeracy training, and life- 
skills training that prepares an individual to be 
an active, productive member of society and the 
workforce; and 
‘‘(B) includes efforts to facilitate and sup-
port the activities described in subparagraph 
(A), including efforts to— 
‘‘(i) build the institutional capacity of 
a country to manage basic education sys-
tems and measure results; 
‘‘(ii) 
construct 
and 
rehabilitate 
schools; 
‘‘(iii) train quality teachers; 
‘‘(iv) increase parent and community 
involvement in schools; 
‘‘(v) provide learning materials; and 
‘‘(vi) develop curricula. 
‘‘(4) EDUCATION FOR ALL FAST-TRACK INITIA-
TIVE.—The term ‘Education for All Fast-Track Ini-
tiative’ means the Fast-Track Initiative launched in 
2002 to mobilize donor resources and accelerate 
progress toward the achievement of Education for 
All, an international commitment to bring the bene-
fits of basic education to every individual. 
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‘‘(5) NATIONAL EDUCATION PLAN.—The term 
‘national education plan’ means a comprehensive na-
tional education plan that— 
‘‘(A) may be developed in accordance with 
the provisions of the Education For All Fast- 
Track Initiative; and 
‘‘(B) includes explicit, credible strategies to 
achieve quality universal basic education, in-
cluding strategies to— 
‘‘(i) address key constraints to achiev-
ing universal basic education in the areas 
of policy, data, capacity, gender equity, 
and financing; and 
‘‘(ii) coordinate priorities within the 
elements of basic education, such as early 
childhood development, primary education, 
and secondary education (delivered in for-
mal and nonformal settings), and training 
in literacy, numeracy, and other basic 
skills, including life and leadership skills, 
for adults and out-of-school youth, and pri-
orities between basic education, workforce 
development, and higher education. 
‘‘(6) PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT.—The term ‘psy-
chosocial support’ has the meaning given that term 
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in section 135 (relating to assistance for orphans 
and other vulnerable children). 
‘‘(7) RELEVANT EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCIES 
AND
OFFICIALS.—The term ‘relevant executive 
branch agencies and officials’ means— 
‘‘(A) the Department of State, the United 
States Agency for International Development, 
the Department of the Treasury, the Depart-
ment of Labor, the Department of Education, 
the Department of Health and Human Services, 
the Department of Agriculture, and the Depart-
ment of Defense; 
‘‘(B) the Chief Executive Officer of the 
Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Coordi-
nator of United States Government Activities to 
Combat HIV/AIDS Globally, the National Secu-
rity Advisor, the Director of the Peace Corps, 
and the National Economic Advisor; and 
‘‘(C) any other department, agency, or offi-
cial of the United States Government that par-
ticipates in activities to promote quality uni-
versal basic education pursuant to the authori-
ties of such department, agency, or official or 
pursuant to this Act. 
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‘‘(8) INEE MINIMUM STANDARDS.—The term 
‘INEE Minimum Standards’ refers to standards for 
education developed by the Inter-Agency Network on 
Education in Emergencies designed for use in emer-
gency response, emergency preparedness, and in hu-
manitarian advocacy, and applicable in a wide range 
of situations, including natural disasters and armed 
conflicts. 
‘‘(e) DEVELOPMENT
AND IMPLEMENTATION
OF
A 
COMPREHENSIVE UNITED STATES STRATEGY ON EDU-
CATION FOR ALL.— 
‘‘(1) STRATEGY
REQUIRED.—The President 
shall develop a comprehensive integrated strategy of 
the United States to promote quality universal basic 
education that will— 
‘‘(A) seek to expand access to basic edu-
cation for all children, particularly marginalized 
and vulnerable groups, including girls, children 
affected by or emerging from armed conflict or 
humanitarian crises, children with disabilities, 
children in remote or rural areas, religious or 
ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, orphans 
and children impacted by HIV/AIDS, child la-
borers, and victims of trafficking, as well as to 
promote gender equity; and 
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