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Creates a new federal grant program that provides $250 million per year (for four years) to help eligible local educational agencies repair, renovate, or construct school facilities that serve federally impacted students. Funds are split each year into competitive grants (75%) and formula grants (25%), with a small reserve allowed for technical assistance. Grants target the most urgent building needs through a facility-condition priority list that identifies emergency tiers (health/safety/capacity/accessibility/technology/teacher housing). Awards require applications, local matching shares that vary by need, limits on uses (no buying land or projects where the agency lacks title), and annual reporting and oversight by the Department of Education.
Many federally impacted local educational agencies serve schools with facilities that do not meet basic life-safety standards for students and staff.
The American Society of Civil Engineers rated school facilities nationally a D+, and many school buildings serving federally impacted local educational agencies were built more than 65 years ago.
A 2009 Government Accountability Office study found better school facilities are linked to better student outcomes (achievement, attendance, graduation); a 2020 GAO study concluded many facilities serving federally impacted local educational agencies need repair, modernization, renovation, or replacement.
Surveys by the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools and the National Indian Impacted Schools Association report: 65% say facilities are in fair to poor condition; 26% have buildings over 80 years old; 53% have no practical capacity to issue bonds; and 82% cited 'lack of funds' as a reason for delaying construction projects, with construction costs in rural/remote agencies up 30% or more recently.
Local educational agencies that can issue bonds or access other funds still need help to improve buildings for safe learning environments.
Primary affected parties:
Local educational agencies (LEAs / school districts): direct recipients and applicants; they gain new federal resources to address urgent building needs but must prepare applications, meet reporting requirements, and supply matching funds or in-kind contributions. LEAs with the most severe health, safety, capacity, accessibility, or technology problems are prioritized.
Students (children under 18) and educators: improvements in facility conditions should reduce health and safety risks (e.g., lead, ventilation), relieve overcrowding, improve accessibility and technology access, and help with teacher recruitment and retention in affected districts.
Local communities and families: community use of school facilities (e.g., as shelters or community centers) can benefit where repairs expand safe, accessible space. However, districts with limited local resources may face challenges meeting match requirements and completing projects quickly.
Department of Education and state/ local partners: increased administrative workload for establishing/maintaining the facility-condition priority list, processing applications, monitoring construction timelines, and producing annual reports.
Construction and related industries: likely to see increased demand for school construction, renovation, environmental remediation, and technology infrastructure projects.
Potential positives:
Potential challenges and trade-offs:
Expand sections to see detailed analysis
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced April 3, 2025 by Mazie Hirono · Last progress April 3, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced in Senate