Equity and Excellence in American Education Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-4013
Sponsor: Rep. Honda, Michael M. [D-CA-17]
Introduced: 2015-11-16 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Budget process
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Language arts
Minority education
Performance measurement
School administration
Special education
State and local finance
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2015-11-16
text: 

Equity and Excellence in American Education Act of 2015

 
This bill authorizes the Department of Education (ED) to establish and administer several new grant programs.
 
ED shall carry out the Equity and Excellence Initiative to provide grants to states to match each state's enhanced investment in meaningful educational opportunities for children who attend targeted schools. A "targeted school" is a public elementary or secondary school at which a specified percentage of students: (1) are eligible for free or reduced-priced lunch; (2) qualify as limited English proficient; or (3) are racial or ethnic minorities, Indian, or migratory. Schools may use these grant funds to implement systems-based reforms and initiatives to enhance student achievement. A state that receives grant funds must meet specified maintenance of effort requirements.
 
If ED determines that a state has failed to invest sufficient resources to create meaningful educational opportunities for all children attending targeted schools in that state, ED is authorized, through the Educating Every Child Initiative, to make grants directly to local educational agencies for distribution to targeted schools. A state in which targeted schools receive grant funds must meet specified funding obligations with respect to those schools.
 
ED is also authorized to establish the Equitable and Sustainable Fiscal Policy Program to provide technical assistance grants to support state fiscal reform efforts aimed at ensuring meaningful educational opportunities for all children.
 
The bill establishes various reporting requirements for ED and for grant recipients. ED must develop accountability metrics to measure grant performance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-03-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2015-11-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-11-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-11-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-11-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H8227)
action_date: 2015-11-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-11-16
text: Introduced in House