I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 729 
To establish the Strength in Diversity Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 2, 2021 
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia (for himself, Mr. JONES, Ms. ADAMS, Ms. CLARKE of 
New York, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. HORSFORD, Mrs. HAYES, Mr. 
EVANS, Mr. MORELLE, Ms. MENG, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. COOPER, Ms. 
VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. RYAN, Mr. PAYNE, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mr. DELGADO, Ms. 
LEE of California, Ms. BONAMICI, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. CARSON, 
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. KILMER, Mr. RUSH, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. FOSTER, 
Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. LARSON of Con-
necticut, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. GALLEGO, Ms. WILSON of 
Florida, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. VELA, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Mr. KILDEE, Ms. STE-
VENS, Ms. ROSS, Ms. WILD, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. 
LEVIN of Michigan, Mr. TORRES of New York, Mr. COHEN, Mr. SABLAN, 
Mrs. LURIA, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. AUCHINCLOSS, Ms. OMAR, 
Ms. DEAN, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, 
Ms. NEWMAN, Mr. DEFAZIO, and Ms. CRAIG) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To establish the Strength in Diversity Program, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strength in Diversity 
Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to support the develop-
ment, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive 
strategies to address the effects of racial isolation or con-
centrated poverty by increasing diversity, including racial 
diversity and socioeconomic diversity, in covered schools. 
SEC. 3. RESERVATION FOR NATIONAL AND STATE ACTIVI-
TIES. 
(a) NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary may re-
serve not more than 5 percent of the amounts made avail-
able under section 10 for a fiscal year to carry out activi-
ties of national significance relating to this Act, which may 
include— 
(1) research, development, data collection, mon-
itoring, technical assistance, evaluation, or dissemi-
nation activities; and 
(2) the development and maintenance of best 
practices for recipients of grants under section 4 and 
other experts in the field of school diversity. 
(b) STATE ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary may reserve 
not more than 10 percent of the amounts made available 
under section 10 for a fiscal year for planning grants and 
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implementation grants made to State educational agencies 
under section 4. 
SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—From the amounts made 
available under section 10 and not reserved under 
section 3 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall award 
grants in accordance with subsection (b) to eligible 
entities to develop or implement plans to improve di-
versity and reduce or eliminate racial or socio-
economic isolation in covered schools. 
(2) TYPES OF GRANTS.—The Secretary may, in 
any fiscal year, award— 
(A) planning grants to carry out the activi-
ties described in section 6(a); 
(B) implementation grants to carry out the 
activities described in section 6(b); or 
(C) both such planning grants and imple-
mentation grants. 
(b) AWARD BASIS.— 
(1) CRITERIA
FOR
EVALUATING
APPLICA-
TIONS.—The Secretary shall award grants under 
this section on a competitive basis, based on— 
(A) the quality of the application sub-
mitted by an eligible entity under section 5; 
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(B) the likelihood, as determined by the 
Secretary, that the eligible entity will use the 
grant to improve student outcomes or outcomes 
on other performance measures described in 
section 7; and 
(C) the likelihood that the grant will lead 
to a meaningful reduction in racial and eco-
nomic isolation for children in covered schools. 
(2) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to the fol-
lowing eligible entities: 
(A) First, to an eligible entity that sub-
mitted an application for a grant under the 
Opening Doors, Expanding Opportunities pro-
gram described in the notice published by the 
Department of Education in the Federal Reg-
ister on December 14, 2016 (81 Fed. Reg. 
90343 et seq.). 
(B) Second, to an eligible entity that pro-
poses, in an application submitted under section 
5, to use the grant to support a program that 
addresses racial isolation. 
(C) Third, to an eligible entity that pro-
poses, in an application submitted under section 
5, to use the grant to support a program that 
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