Opportunity for Every Child Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-4
Sponsor: Sen. Gregg, Judd [R-NH]
Introduced: 2003-02-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Abortion
Academic performance
Charter schools
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
College costs
Commerce
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Constitutional law
Corporations
Crime and Law Enforcement
Curricula
Disabled
Discrimination in education
District of Columbia
Economics and Public Finance
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational facilities
Educational statistics
Educational tests
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Families
Federal aid to education
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government trust funds
Higher education
Judicial review
Labor and Employment
Law
Maryland
Mathematics
Nonprofit organizations
Parent-school relationships
Private schools
Recruiting of employees
Religion
Religious education
Scholarships
School buildings
School discipline
Science, Technology, Communications
Scientific education
Secondary education
Sex discrimination
Social Welfare
Special education
Student loan funds
Student transportation
Students
Supreme Court
Tax deductions
Taxation
Teacher education
Teacher supply and demand
Teachers
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs
Victims of crimes
Violence
Virginia
Women
Youth violence

Summary:
action_date: 2003-02-14
text: Opportunity for Every Child Act of 2003 - Empowering Parents Act of 2003 - Expresses the sense of the Senate regarding private school choice as well as public school choice and charter schools.
School Choice Incentive Act of 2003 - Provides for education certificates to enable low-income students attending under-performing elementary or secondary schools the opportunity to attend a private school when public school choice is unavailable. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to eligible entities to provide such education certificates to eligible students.
District of Columbia Student Opportunity Scholarship Act of 2003 - Authorizes the establishment of the District of Columbia Scholarship Corporation (Corporation) as a private, nonprofit corporation to administer, publicize, and evaluate a District scholarship program and determine elementary and secondary student and school eligibility. Establishes a District of Columbia Scholarship Fund.
Authorizes the Corporation to award tuition scholarships and enhanced achievement scholarships to District students in kindergarten through grade 12 with family incomes not exceeding 185 percent of the national poverty line.
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to extend the authorization of appropriations for charter schools.
Expresses the sense of the Senate regarding certain explorations the Senate should make as it considers the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Extends the authorization of appropriations for education of all children with disabilities.
Expresses the sense of the Senate regarding: (1) expanding access to college; and (2) minority-serving institutions.
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to extend the authorization of appropriations for: (1) historically Black colleges and universities; (2) historically Black graduate institutions; and (3) Hispanic-serving institutions.
Mathematics, Science, and Special Education Teacher Recruitment Act of 2003 - Expresses the sense of the Senate regarding student loan forgiveness for certain teachers. Revises HEA to provide for additional amounts of student loan forgiveness for highly-qualified teachers who agree to teach mathematics, science, or special education in high-need areas for five years. Expresses the sense of the Senate regarding the classroom expense tax deduction for teachers. Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to increase the amount of such deduction for elementary and secondary school teachers.
Expresses the sense of the Senate regarding making education more affordable by making permanent specified provisions in title IV of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001.
Give Back to Parents Act of 2003 - Amends the IRC to allow a refundable tax credit for up to 50 percent of the first $5,000 of a parent's expenses (including tuition, transportation, or equipment) for a student's attendance at another public or private (including parochial, religious, or home) school if the student is otherwise assigned to a school identified for school improvement.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-02-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2003-02-14
text: Introduced in Senate