Owens Leads Legislation to Protect Student Learning During Teacher Strikes and Public Health Emergencies

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Burgess Owens (UT-04) introduced the Kids in Classes Act this morning to protect students from the loss of learning they suffer due to prolonged teacher strikes or public health emergencies. 

“Education is the greatest gift we can give the rising generation, and after lengthy school closures due to the pandemic and union strikes, our children are falling behind. Every hour lost in the classroom is time students don’t get back,” said Rep. Owens. “Our students and our teachers need to be in class. The Kids in Classes Act puts parents back in the driver’s seat, ensuring that when schools shut down, funding follows the student instead of the system. Every child in America deserves a fighting chance, no matter their circumstances or zip code.”

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced a companion bill in the Senate on Wednesday.

“Education should never be held hostage to politics,” said Sen. Scott. “For far too many families, especially in low-income communities, school closures mean lost learning, lost opportunity, and long-term consequences. Empowering parents with real options ensures that when systems fail, students don’t. The Kids in Classes Act puts families first and guarantees that education dollars are used for education – even when the school doors are closed. Our focus must remain where it belongs: protecting children’s futures and expanding opportunity in every community.”

Background: 

When schools close for an extended period due to a public health emergency or collective bargaining action, federal funding should follow the student to minimize the disruption in education.

The Kids in Classes Act ensures that Title I funding will go to families in the event of an extended school closure due to a public health emergency or a teacher strike.

COVID-19 taught us that students suffer during lengthy learning disruptions, and millions of parents and families have suffered the impacts of those long-term school closures. It isn’t always public health emergencies that can take a toll on students’ time learning in the classroom, extended teacher strikes also take children from the classroom, costing the time and continuity needed for lasting education gains. 

The bill will require local education agencies to develop a plan to distribute Title I funding directly to families for qualified educational expenses in the event of a school closure lasting for more than 3 days.  

Those qualified educational expenses could include:

• Curriculum and curricular materials
• Books or instructional materials
• Technological educational materials
• Online educational materials
• Tutoring or educational classes outside the home
• Private school tuition
• Testing fees
• Diagnostic tools
• Educational therapies for students with disabilities

To ensure accountability, families must submit receipts for how they spent those Title I funds and must return any money that was left unspent within 30 days of the school reopening.

The full text of the legislation is available here.

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