S 487 — CHOICE Act

Summary

Creating Hope and Opportunity for Individuals and Communities through Education Act or the CHOICE ActThis bill expands school choice programs for elementary and secondary school students.The bill specifies that a student in the District of Columbia must, in order to qualify for an opportunity scholarship, be currently enrolled, or be enrolled for the next school year, in a public or private elementary or secondary school.The bill also authorizes the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to support the design and implementation of state programs that allow the parent of a child with a disability to choose the appropriate public or private school for their child. It also outlines the requirements for program eligibility.Further, if the state has established a program that allows parents to use public or private funds to assist with the cost of their child attending a private school, then the state may supplement those funds with federal special education funds.Additionally, the Department of Defense must carry out a five-year pilot program to award scholarships to enable military dependent students who live on military installations to attend the public or private elementary or secondary schools their parents choose.The bill also requires ED to return to the Treasury specified amounts made available for salaries and expenses.

Bill Text

• Introduced Introduced in Senate Current html February 06, 2025

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill introduces new provisions for education options for children with disabilities, including the use of public funds for private schooling and establishes standards for state programs supporting parental choice.

• 20 U.S.C. § 1412(a)(10)(A)

  (viii) Parent option program.--If a State has established a program that meets the requirements of section 663(c)(11) (whether statewide or in limited areas of the State) and that allows a parent of a child described in section 663(c)(11)(A) to use public funds, or private funds in accordance with section 663(c)(11)(B)(ii), to pay some or all of the costs of attendance at a private school--

  This addition allows states to create programs enabling parents to use public or private funds for private school attendance for their children with disabilities.

• 20 U.S.C. § 1463(c)

  and

  This change modifies an existing list in the law where the conjunction 'and' is removed, facilitating the addition of new requirements.

• 20 U.S.C. § 1463(c)

  . → ; and

  This change allows for an additional requirement to be added to the list of activities supported under this section.

• 20 U.S.C. § 1463(c)(10)

  (11) supporting the post-award planning and design, and the initial implementation (which may include costs for informing the community, acquiring necessary equipment and supplies, and other initial operational costs), during a period of not more than 3 years, of State programs that allow the parent of a child with a disability to make a genuine independent choice of the appropriate public or private school for their child, if the program--

  This addition supports state programs that enable parental choice regarding the educational setting for their children with disabilities.

Action History

1. February 06, 2025

   Introduced in Senate

2. February 06, 2025

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Sponsors

• Tim Scott · Primary
• Roger F. Wicker · Cosponsor

Subjects