CHOICE Act

Bill: 115-hr-691
Sponsor: Rep. Rokita, Todd [R-IN-4]
Introduced: 2017-01-24 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Appropriations
Congressional oversight
Department of Education
District of Columbia
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Military personnel and dependents
Religion
Special education
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2017-01-24
text: 

Creating Hope and Opportunity for Individuals and Communities through Education Act or the
 
CHOICE Act

 
This bill amends the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act to include among the eligibility criteria for opportunity scholarships, a requirement that a student in Washington, DC is enrolled, or will be enrolled for the next school year, in a public or private elementary or secondary school. (Opportunity scholarships are provided to low-income DC students to enable them to attend a participating private school of their choice.)
 
The bill also amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to allow states that have established a program which allows the parents of disabled children to use public or private funds for assistance with the cost of their children attending a private school, to supplement those funds with their allocation of federal special education funds.
 
The bill authorizes grants to support the design and initial implementation of state programs that allow the parents of a disabled child to make a choice of the appropriate public or private school for their child.
 
The Department of Defense (DOD)must carry out a five-year pilot program to award scholarships to enable military dependent students who live on military installations to attend the public or private elementary or secondary schools their parents choose.DOD must select at least five military installations to participate in the program and choose those where military students would benefit from expanded education options.
 
The Department of Education must return to the Treasury specified amounts made available for salaries and expenses.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-02-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2017-01-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Armed Services, 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: 2017-01-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Armed Services, 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: 2017-01-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Armed Services, 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: 2017-01-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Armed Services, 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: 2017-01-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-01-24
text: Introduced in House