Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each c…
Creates a competitive demonstration grant program at the Department of Education to increase the number of registered school nurses in public elementary and secondary schools.
Grants target eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) and consortia serving high proportions of low-income students, give priority to high-need LEAs or those without any nurse, fund up to 75 percent of costs (phasing down in later years), allow non-Federal matches with waiver authority for hardship, require a 2-year program report to Congress, and authorizes “such sums as may be necessary” for FY2026–2030.
Substantive but narrow, non-controversial grant program with usual barrier of securing appropriations and fitting into larger budget vehicles.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly defines the problem and establishes a statutory grant mechanism with key definitions, eligibility, priorities, cost‑sharing rules, and a required evaluation report. It is a well‑scoped authorization for a demonstration program but leaves significant operational, fiscal, and measurement details to be filled in (by regulation, guidance, or appropriations), which limits immediate implementability.
Federal role and funding scale versus local control
Federal role and funding scale versus local control
Likely strongly supportive.
The bill targets health equity by prioritizing under-resourced LEAs and aims to address chronic and mental health needs that impede learning.
Advocates would welcome federal assistance expanding school-based health care but may find funding authorization too vague.
Generally favorable but cautious.
The program addresses a clear service gap and includes evaluation requirements, but details on funding scale, sustainability, and workforce capacity matter.
Would seek clearer appropriation language and measurable performance indicators.
Skeptical or somewhat opposed.
While recognizing benefits of school nurses, this persona worries about federal intrusion into local education and health functions, open-ended federal spending, and the program’s long-term fiscal burden on states and districts once federal funds decline.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Substantive but narrow, non-controversial grant program with usual barrier of securing appropriations and fitting into larger budget vehicles.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Federal role and funding scale versus local control
Substantive but narrow, non-controversial grant program with usual barrier of securing appropriations and fitting into larger budget vehicl…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly defines the problem and establishes a statutory grant mechanism with key definitions, eligibility, priorities, cost‑sharing rules, and a required evaluation r…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.