Sponsors (2)
The bill shifts grant allocations to better target high-poverty students and establishes a predictable post‑2026 formula, but in doing so reallocates funding away from some larger or previously advantaged districts, creating fiscal strain and uneven state-level impacts.
Students in high-poverty, smaller or higher-poverty LEAs will receive increased federal per-pupil resources as allocations are reweighted to prioritize percentage of economically disadvantaged students.
State and local education agencies will have a more predictable, uniform grant-calculation method beginning FY2026, reducing annual ambiguity for budgeting and planning.
Many LEAs will see a higher or more stable weighted child count through FY2025, supporting larger or steadier Title I-like grants in the short term.
Many very large or previously advantaged LEAs could lose federal grant dollars beginning FY2026, reducing per‑student funding in those districts.
Districts that lose funding may need to cut services, programs, or staff for students, or require increased state and local taxpayer support to maintain current services.
Shifting from prior 'larger of' calculations to uniform, state-by-state equity group methods will create uneven, state-dependent impacts and transitional budget uncertainty for affected LEAs.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Revises Title I grant formulas to stop using the 'larger of' comparison and require a percentage-based weighted child count beginning in FY2026, shifting allocations among LEAs.
Introduced March 18, 2026 by Glenn Thompson · Last progress March 18, 2026
Changes how federal Title I grant formulas count and weight low-income students so smaller school districts with high poverty rates are less likely to be disadvantaged. The bill finds that the current dual weighting (number and percentage) favors very large districts and directs the Department of Education to stop using the “larger of” comparison after FY2025 and instead use the percentage-based weighted child count beginning in FY2026. It does not create new funding, but it will shift how existing K–12 funds are distributed.