What This Bill Does
This bill would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 so local educational agencies could use federal education funds for programs that address chronic absenteeism. In practice, it would let school districts spend those dollars on efforts such as attendance outreach, family engagement, student support services, and related interventions. The measure would affect public school systems, students who miss class regularly, and families facing barriers to attendance. It does not create a new standalone grant program; it expands how existing federal education funds may be used.
- Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
- Allows local educational agencies to use federal funds for chronic absenteeism programs.
- Applies to public school districts and related education agencies.
- Covers programs and activities that address student attendance problems.
- Does not create a new grant amount; it changes allowable uses of existing federal funds.
Who This Bill Affects
If you are a parent, student, teacher, or school administrator in a public school district, this bill could make it easier for federal education money to be spent on attendance programs that try to reduce missed school days. That could translate into more outreach to families, more attendance-focused staff time, and more support services aimed at getting students back into class. For the general public, the effect is indirect but meaningful because it could improve school engagement and academic outcomes in districts that choose to use the flexibility.
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- Public school districts Districts often need flexible funding to respond to attendance problems quickly. Supporters would say this lets schools tailor interventions to their own student populations instead of waiting for separate grant programs or restricted funding streams.
- Teachers and school administrators Educators see chronic absenteeism as an early warning sign for academic failure and dropout risk. They would argue that allowing federal funds to pay for attendance outreach and support services helps schools intervene before problems become harder and more expensive to fix.
- Parents and student advocates Families dealing with housing instability, health issues, transportation barriers, or caregiving responsibilities may need coordinated support to keep children in school. Supporters would say the bill helps schools address those real-life obstacles in a more practical way.
- School funding watchdogs Some critics may worry that broadening allowable spending categories can dilute dollars intended for other academic priorities. They may argue that districts should not have to shift scarce federal funds away from tutoring, special education support, or classroom needs.
- Fiscal conservatives Opponents in this camp may question whether Congress should expand flexibility without creating a clearly bounded program or new accountability measures. They could argue that attendance efforts are important but should be financed within existing local and state budgets.
- Districts focused on compliance simplicity Some administrators may prefer clearer, more narrowly defined federal rules rather than another category of allowable spending. They may worry that new flexibility can still bring reporting complexity and make it harder to track whether the money is producing results.
Key Implications
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““allow local educational agencies to use Federal funds””
This gives school districts permission to spend federal education money on attendance-related work. In practice, that can broaden what districts can pay for without needing a separate federal grant.
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““programs and activities that address chronic absenteeism””
The bill targets interventions meant to reduce repeated missed school days. That could include outreach, monitoring, counseling, attendance coordination, or other student-support efforts.
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““Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965””
The change would be embedded in the main federal K-12 education law, which governs a large share of school aid and program rules. That makes the policy potentially durable across many federal education funding streams.
Latest Status
June 15, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
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