Renewing America's Schools Act
Latest action. Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdictionA court's legal authority to hear a case: over the subject matter, the parties, and the territory.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) of the committee concerned.
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Educational Facilities Improvement Title II: Scholarships Title III: A+ Accounts for Public and Private Schools Renewing America's Schools Act - Title I: Educational Facilities Improvement - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) title XII (School Facilities Infrastructure Improvement) to establish an educational facilities construction and renovation bond subsidy program. (Sec. 101) Directs the Secretary of Education to use such bond subsidy program funds to pay up to 50 percent, according to a sliding scale based on need, of the interest costs applicable to any State or local bond for construction or renovation of educational facilities in local areas. Provides for: (1) mandatory direct grants to local bond authorities for up to 100 local areas with the highest numbers of school age children whose families do not exceed 100 percent of the poverty line (plus an optional 25 additional local areas with extraordinary construction or renovation needs); and (2) mandatory grants to States for State or local bond authority assistance for local areas according to a specified formula. Authorizes reservation of specified amounts for Indian schools, schools in U.S. territories, and certain studies, evaluations, and reports. Sets forth requirements for authorized activities, waivers (in order to increase assistance), fair wages, and reports. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000. Title II: Scholarships - Amends ESEA title VI (Innovative Education Program Strategies) to allow any State that has enacted or will enact a law establishing a voluntary public and private school parental choice scholarship program in compliance with specified ESEA requirements to reserve an additional 15 percent from its annual title VI allotment for use exclusively for such parental choice programs. (Sec. 202) Requires State educational agencies, except in the case of such programs, to distribute 90 percent (currently 85 percent) of title VI funds to local educational agencies based on criteria which gives priority to low-income families and areas. (Sec. 203) Includes such parental choice programs among State and local uses of title VI funds. Requires such parental choice programs to be located in an area that has the greatest numbers or percentages of children: (1) living in areas with a high concentration of low-income families; (2) from low-income families; or (3) living in sparsely populated areas. Requires such programs to ensure that program participation is limited to families whose family income does not exceed 185 percent of the poverty line. Directs the Comptroller General to make contracts for annual evaluation of each parental choice program. Provides that title VI funds to establish a parental choice program shall be considered assistance to the student and shall not be considered as assistance to any school that chooses to participate in such program. Prohibits the Secretary from exercising any direction, supervision, or control over curricula, program of instruction, administration, or personnel of any school that chooses to participate in a parental choice program. Title III: A+ Accounts for Public and Private Schools - A+ Accounts for Public and Private Schools Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit tax-free expenditures from education individual retirement accounts for elementary and secondary education expenses (including tuition, special needs services, home schooling expenses, and transportation expenses) required for attendance at a public, private, or religious school, or for home schooling that meets State or local requirements. (Sec. 302) Provides for a temporary increase, from $500 to $2,500, through December 31, 2003, for the maximum annual contribution to such an account. Waives certain age limitations in cases of children with special needs. Permits corporations to contribute to such accounts.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on March 2, 1999. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on March 2, 1999: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 106th Congress (1999-00), 580 of the 9,158 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 6.3 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
MICHAEL FORBES (R-NY) introduced it on March 2, 1999. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on March 2, 1999, 10054 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 10054 days ago, on March 2, 1999.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 106th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2001 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers