Education

Protecting Students with Disabilities Act This bill prohibits the use of appropriated funds to eliminate the Department of Education's (ED's) oversight of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). (The IDEA authorizes grant programs that support special education and early intervention services for children with disabilities. Currently, the IDEA is administered by the Office of Special Education Programs in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in ED.) Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of appropriated funds to eliminate, consolidate, or otherwise restructure any office within ED that administers or enforces programs under the IDEA. Further, appropriated funds may not be used to (1) terminate, reassign, or alter the responsibilities of any personnel of any such office; or (2) contract with, or delegate to, any entity outside of ED to administer or enforce IDEA programs. (On March 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities , calling for the closure of ED and giving authority over education to the states. Further, the Trump Administration has announced plans to transfer ED's oversight of services for students with disabilities to the Department of Health and Human Services.)

This resolution (HRES 331) is a non-binding House of Representatives statement supporting National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. It urges state/local governments and schools to recognize the day and promotes inclusive HIV education in curricula, including information on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The resolution calls for removing outdated HIV criminalization laws, expanding youth-friendly healthcare access (including confidential testing and treatment without parental consent), and supporting existing programs like the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. It specifically highlights the disproportionate impact of HIV on young Black gay and bisexual men and advocates for reducing stigma to improve health outcomes for youth living with HIV.

HR 2457, the Mining Schools Act of 2025, establishes a competitive grant program to fund education and training programs for the U.S. mining industry. It directs the Secretary of Energy to award up to 10 annual grants to eligible "mining schools" - defined as accredited engineering programs (including Tribal Colleges) or specific geology/engineering departments at public universities in states with significant mining GDP - to recruit students and enhance curriculum. Grants must support education in critical areas like critical mineral extraction, environmental reclamation, rare earth element processing, and reducing reliance on foreign mineral supplies. The program requires geographic diversity in grant selection and mandates an advisory board (with industry and academic members) to review applications and ensure funds are used for specified educational purposes, with no new federal funds authorized.

The Service Starts At Home Act (HR 5308) provides federal funding to support local government internships for secondary and undergraduate students, and offers scholarships based on volunteer service hours. It authorizes $50 million annually (2026-2030) for competitive grants to states or local governments to create paid internships, requiring educational value and accommodations for interns. Additionally, it allocates $100 million annually for state-administered scholarships (up to $3,000 per year) to students who complete 100-250+ volunteer hours, with priority for renewal applicants, and allows funds to cover college costs of attendance. The bill directly affects students in public schools, colleges, and local governments, focusing on community engagement through structured programs rather than broad policy changes.

The Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act would establish Haskell Indian Nations University as a federally chartered corporation with its own independent board of trustees, removing it from direct management by the Bureau of Indian Education. This change would allow the university to accept private donations as a tax-exempt charitable organization, develop its own master plan for facilities, and better manage its operations. The university currently provides tuition-free higher education to over 900 Indian students representing approximately 140 tribes across the United States. The bill aims to address longstanding challenges in educational quality and campus maintenance, which have been cited in congressional inquiries.

The IDEA Full Funding Act (HR 2598) mandates specific annual federal funding levels for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), directly affecting schools and students with disabilities nationwide. It requires the federal government to appropriate either a fixed dollar amount or a specified percentage (increasing annually from 4.5% to 40%) of a calculated total - based on the number of eligible students and average per-pupil costs - starting in fiscal year 2026 through 2035. The bill sets clear, escalating funding targets, with the higher of two calculated amounts (dollar figure or percentage) becoming available for obligation each fiscal year. This establishes a binding financial commitment to address long-standing underfunding of special education services under IDEA.

Rebuild America’s Health Care Schools Act of 2025 This bill allows hospitals to receive reimbursement under Medicare for certain costs associated with training nursing and allied health students in settings other than the hospital itself.  Currently, hospitals may receive reimbursement under Medicare for the reasonable costs associated with training nursing and allied health students if certain conditions are met; the criteria vary depending on whether the students are enrolled in an educational program that is operated by the hospital or another entity. If the students are part of a program that is operated by another entity, the training must occur at the hospital itself or in areas immediately surrounding the hospital in order to qualify for reimbursement (among other requirements). The bill allows hospitals to receive reimbursement for these costs if the training is conducted at an entity that is related to the hospital (i.e., common ownership or control). The bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update regulations to reflect these changes. Additionally, the CMS may not recoup or reduce payments to hospitals with respect to costs that are allowed under the bill and must refund any such recoupments or reductions that occurred during the six-year period prior to the bill's enactment.

HR 1759, the Affordable PLUS Repayment Options for Parents Act of 2025, allows parents who borrowed Federal Direct PLUS loans to pay for their dependent child's education to enroll in income-driven repayment plans. The bill removes a previous exclusion that barred these PLUS loans from income-contingent and income-based repayment plans under the Higher Education Act. Key provisions amend Sections 455 and 493C to make PLUS loans for dependent students and related consolidation loans eligible for these plans. This change applies to borrowers with outstanding balances on such loans who are repaying or will repay under these specific plans, effective upon the bill's enactment.

Freedom in School Cafeterias and Lunches Act or the FISCAL Act This bill revises requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to require that schools offer plant-based milk. Under current law, schools must provide a substitute for fluid milk for students whose disability restricts their diet (on receipt of a written statement from a licensed physician). Schools may also substitute a nondairy beverage for fluid milk for students who have an identified medical or other special dietary need (on receipt of a written statement from a medical authority or a student's parent or legal guardian). The bill eliminates the exceptions and documentation requirements. Instead, schools participating in the school lunch program must offer all students a plant-based milk option that is consistent with (1) the most recent U.S. Dietary Guidelines, or (2) USDA-established nutritional standards if the milk is not included under those guidelines.

The ASSIST Act (S 2050) increases federal funding for mental health and substance use disorder services provided in schools and school-based health centers. It raises the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for these services to 90% for states, starting one year after enactment, while ensuring this doesn’t reduce existing federal payments or count against territorial spending limits. The bill also creates a new grant program administered by the Health and Human Services Secretary to fund entities like school districts and universities in hiring more licensed mental health providers, requiring culturally competent care and annual reporting on provider numbers and service effectiveness. It prohibits using grant funds for threat assessment teams and mandates a report to Congress on the program’s effectiveness within 18 months.