Combating Implicit Bias in Education Act
Bill: H.R.6687 | Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes (D-DC)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Combating Implicit Bias in Education Act
This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to local educational agencies to provide training to staff of elementary and secondary schools on implicit bias.

To direct the Secretary of Education to establish a competitive grant 
   program to award grants to local educational agencies to address 
   implicit bias in elementary and secondary schools, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

     This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Implicit Bias in 
Education Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Education shall award grants, 
on a competitive basis, to local educational agencies to provide 
training to educators, principals, and other staff of elementary 
schools and secondary schools on implicit bias, for the purposes of--
            (1) ending discrimination based on such bias, including--
                    (A) in the administration of exclusionary 
                discipline (including suspensions and expulsions);
                    (B) in access to gifted and talented programs; and
                    (C) in the apportionment of academic resources;
            (2) improving the school climate and the relationships 
        between students and educators, principals, and other staff; 
        and
            (3) improving the academic achievement and attainment of 
        students.
    (b) Application.--A local educational agency desiring to receive a 
grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary 
as the Secretary shall require. The application shall include a 
description of how the local educational agency will use the grant to 
carry out training under subsection (a).
    (c) Report.--The Director of the Institute of Education Sciences 
shall conduct a periodic review of the effectiveness of the grant 
program established by this Act.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2022 through 2024.
    (e) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Elementary and secondary education act terms.--The 
        terms ``elementary school'', ``local educational agency'', 
        ``other staff'', and ``secondary school'' have the meanings 
        given those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Implicit bias.--The term ``implicit bias'' means bias 
        with respect to actual or perceived race, religion, sex 
        (including sexual orientation or gender identity), disability, 
        ethnicity, or socioeconomic status that results from 
        subconsciously held attitudes, beliefs, or associations.
            (3) Training.--The term ``training'' means evidence-based, 
        on-going professional development and support.
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