The Ending PUSHOUT Act of 2025 aims to address discriminatory school discipline practices that disproportionately push students of color, particularly Black, Brown, and Indigenous girls, out of school. It requires schools to collect and report detailed demographic data on discipline practices, including race, gender identity, disability status, and other factors. The bill provides grants to schools to implement trauma-informed alternatives to exclusionary discipline like suspensions and expulsions, while prohibiting certain practices such as out-of-school suspension for young students for minor offenses like grooming policy violations. It also establishes a joint task force with student, parent, and expert representation to study and recommend solutions to end school pushout of girls of color.
The Service Starts At Home Act (S 2782) creates two main programs: (1) grants to states and local governments for paid internships for high school students and college undergraduates in local government roles, and (2) scholarships for students based on volunteer service hours. It directly affects secondary and postsecondary students, local governments, and states by funding internships with educational value and awarding scholarships (ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 annually) to students who complete 100+ volunteer hours. Key mechanisms include competitive grant applications for internship programs, state-level scholarship administration with priority for renewal applicants, and requirements for volunteer work to be unpaid and non-religious. The bill authorizes $50 million annually for internships and $100 million annually for scholarships from fiscal years 2026-2030.
This bill requires the Secretary of Defense to restore access to all curricula, books, and learning materials previously available at Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) schools by 30 days after enactment, and prohibits new restrictions until the 2026-2027 school year. It adds new procedural requirements for future directives affecting DODEA schools, mandating advisory committee reviews and congressional notice before changes to curricula or materials. The bill also nullifies specific executive orders (including those restricting "radical indoctrination" or "gender ideology") that impacted DODEA schools and directs a study on creating an independent body to oversee DODEA curricula. It directly affects military-connected students and schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity.
The BEST Act establishes a federal grant program to help states create or improve Seal of Biliteracy programs for K-12 students. It provides $10 million annually (2025-2029) for states to develop programs recognizing students who demonstrate speaking and writing proficiency in both English and a second language, including Native American languages and American Sign Language. States must ensure equitable access for English learners, students with disabilities, and heritage language learners, and provide free testing for low-income students. The program requires states to award permanent seals or documentation on diplomas/transcripts for qualifying students.
This bill expands automatic eligibility for free school meals by adding new categories of children who qualify without needing separate applications, including those in kinship care, living with grandparents in low-income housing, and children in Native American housing programs. It creates a system for transferring meal eligibility when children move between school districts, extends eligibility for up to one year longer in certain cases, and establishes automatic certification for children receiving Medicaid benefits. The bill also provides $28 million in grants to states and tribal organizations to improve direct certification rates, and creates a demonstration program to test universal free school meals in up to 5 states. These changes aim to reduce administrative barriers and increase access to school meals for children from low-income families.
The PROTECT Students Act of 2025 requires institutions of higher education to disclose debt-to-earnings rates and earnings premium data to help students evaluate program value. It strengthens borrower defense protections for students misled by institutions, prohibits institutions from limiting students' legal rights to pursue claims, and mandates that institutions spend at least 30% of tuition revenue on instruction. The bill also requires transparency about institutional finances, program outcomes, and third-party relationships to help students make informed decisions. These provisions directly affect students, higher education institutions, and third-party servicers. The act aims to improve accountability and transparency in higher education, particularly for for-profit institutions.
This bill (HR 4260) prevents the U.S. Department of Education from making significant changes to how the Impact Aid program is run. It requires the Education Secretary to maintain the program's administration as it existed on January 1, 2025, unless federal law or a court order mandates otherwise. The bill also mandates annual certification to Congress confirming compliance with this requirement. Impact Aid provides funding to school districts near federal properties (like military bases or national parks) that lose tax revenue, so this bill directly affects those districts by preserving current administrative practices. The key mechanism is a freeze on administrative changes plus annual reporting to Congress.
This bill amends the Higher Education Act to allow Head Start and Early Head Start programs to hire college students through federal work-study programs. It directly affects Head Start/EHS agencies and college students participating in work-study. Key provisions require agencies to ensure student employees comply with program standards, prohibit students from being left alone with children (requiring regular staff supervision), and clarify that student workers do not count toward staff-to-child ratios. The changes integrate student employment into existing early childhood programs without altering funding or eligibility.
This resolution (HRES 269) is a symbolic statement honoring historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and reaffirming the federal government's existing commitment to them. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes HBCUs' role in educating nearly 300,000 students annually, producing 50% of Black teachers and 80% of Black judges, and contributing $16.5 billion to the economy. The resolution requests that federal agencies receive copies to align with ongoing support for HBCUs, though it does not alter any existing policies or resources. It directly affects HBCUs by affirming their national significance and the government’s longstanding partnership with them.
The Pay Teachers Act requires states to ensure public school teachers earn a minimum starting salary of $60,000 that increases with experience, and paraprofessionals and education support staff earn at least $45,000 annually or $30 per hour. The bill provides mandatory federal funding to support these salary increases and requires states to develop implementation plans within 4 years (with possible extensions for states facing financial challenges). It also establishes career ladder programs that allow teachers to earn additional compensation for taking on leadership roles and responsibilities. This legislation directly affects all public school teachers, paraprofessionals, and education support staff nationwide, as well as state and local education agencies responsible for implementing the changes.
