DIPLOMA Act

The DIPLOMA Act (S 5387) establishes a federal program to support community schools that integrate academic and community services to improve student outcomes. It authorizes competitive grants for local school-community partnerships (called "local consortia") to develop comprehensive strategies addressing students' academic, health, social, and emotional needs, with priority for high-poverty schools. The bill requires states to develop strategies for implementing community schools, using evidence-based services to improve attendance, graduation rates, and academic achievement while addressing pandemic learning loss. It mandates annual reporting on progress toward specific goals and includes accountability measures to ensure effective use of funds for disadvantaged students and families.