Kids in Classes Act

Key Points

• The bill would require school districts to pay federal education money directly to parents if a public school closes for more than 3 days due to a public health emergency or a labor strike (like a teachers' strike).
• The payments come from Title I federal funds — money specifically set aside for schools serving low-income students. The daily payment per student is calculated by dividing the school's total Title I funding by the number of students and the number of school days.
• Parents could spend the money on a wide range of educational expenses, including private school tuition, tutoring, textbooks, technology, online materials, testing fees, and therapies for students with disabilities.
• Parents must submit receipts showing they used the money on approved educational expenses, or return any unspent funds within 30 days after the school reopens for in-person classes.
• The bill's findings emphasize that school closures disproportionately harm students in low-income communities. Research cited in the bill predicts that one year of closures could cut future earnings by 25% for ninth graders in the poorest neighborhoods, while wealthier students face no substantial losses.