What does Preamble of Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act do?

This bill aims to provide construction funding through a Federal-local community partnership. The funding is intended for local educational agencies. These agencies must be eligible to receive payments under the Impact Aid program.

What does SHORT TITLE. of Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act do?

This bill is formally titled the 'Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act'.

What does FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. of Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act do?

This section outlines findings regarding the condition of school facilities in federally impacted local educational agencies (FILEAs). The findings indicate that many FILEAs have facilities that do not meet basic life-safety standards and are often decades old. A 2009 GAO study linked better school facilities to positive student outcomes, including academic achievement and graduation rates. Surveys reveal that a significant percentage of FILEAs report their facilities are in fair to poor condition, lack bonding capacity, and cite a lack of funds as a barrier to construction. Rural FILEAs face increased labor and transportation costs, further complicating facility upgrades. Teacher recruitment and retention is a challenge for FILEAs, particularly those on Indian lands, due to limited housing options and long commutes. State educational agencies have identified substantial infrastructure needs in FILEAs, including structural repairs and ADA compliance. The purpose of this Act is to establish a Federal-local partnership to provide funding for FILEA facility needs. The Act proposes formula grants for FILEAs unable to issue bonds and partnership grants with local matching requirements. Grants will also be provided to modernize buildings and provide basic improvements, referencing sections of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

What does IMPACT AID CONSTRUCTION GRANTS AUTHORIZED. of Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act do?

This section authorizes appropriations of $250,000,000 for the first fiscal year following enactment and each of the three succeeding fiscal years. The Secretary of Education must designate 75% of the appropriated amount for competitive grants under section 4 and 25% for formula grants under section 5. The authorized funding is in addition to any amounts available for section 7007 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Funds appropriated under this section remain available until expended. The authority to award grants under this Act expires at the end of a four-year period beginning when funds are first made available. The Secretary of Education may reserve up to half of 1 percent of the appropriated funds for technical assistance, management, and oversight.

What does COMPETITIVE GRANT AWARDS BASED ON FACILITY CONDITION. of Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act do?

This section establishes a process for the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants based on facility conditions at local educational agencies. Grants are prioritized in two tiers, with priority one addressing immediate health and safety hazards. Priority one grants target facilities with violations of building codes, failure to meet CDC standards, non-compliance with student capacity or accessibility standards, or inadequate technology infrastructure. Local educational agencies eligible under specific sections of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (sections 7002 and 7003) are considered. Priority two grants address facilities with poor structural or health and safety conditions, non-compliance with student capacity or accessibility standards, or inadequate technology infrastructure. For agencies eligible under section 7003(a)(1)(C) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, priority is also given to teacher housing needs.

What does FORMULA GRANTS. of Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act do?

This section modifies formula grant payments under section 3(a)(1)(B)(ii) of this Act. The Secretary of Education must make payments in accordance with section 7007(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. When calculating weighted student units, the Secretary must include weighted student units of specific children as described in section 7003(a)(1) for local educational agencies meeting certain requirements. The Secretary must also include the number of children determined under section 7003(a)(1)(C) if they constituted at least 20 percent of the total student enrollment.

What does APPLICATION. of Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act do?

This section outlines the application process for local educational agencies seeking grants under section 4. Eligible agencies desiring a grant must submit an application. The Secretary of Education will determine the appropriate timing and content of the application.

What does AWARD CRITERIA. of Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act do?

This section outlines the criteria the Secretary of Education must use when awarding grants under section 4. The Secretary must first apply the facility condition priority listing established under section 4. Priority is given to local educational agencies (LEAs) with limited or no bond issuance capacity or a total assessed value of real property less than $50,000,000. Next, LEAs not meeting the criteria in paragraph (1) are considered based on assessed value thresholds or assessed value per student compared to the state average. Finally, the Secretary considers factors such as the number of eligible children enrolled, learning opportunity thresholds, Federal property percentage, potential for community use, project feasibility within 24 months, and availability of other resources. Factors considered include enrollment of children described in section 7003(a)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

What does PAYMENTS. of Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act do?

This section outlines payment procedures for grants awarded under this Act. Local educational agencies with no bond-issuing capacity (as described in section 4(1)) will receive full grant payments. Other local educational agencies are required to pay a percentage of the total project cost, varying based on their learning opportunity threshold. Agencies with a learning opportunity threshold of 80% or greater pay 10% of the total cost. Agencies with a threshold between 50% and 79.9% pay 20% of the total cost. Agencies with a threshold below 50% pay 25% of the total cost. Local educational agencies eligible for payments under section 7002 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, not described in paragraph (1) of section 4, pay a 25% non-Federal share. Agencies receiving grants of $5,000,000 or less will receive full payment. For grants exceeding $5,000,000, payments are made after approval of drawings and specifications and entry into a construction contract, according to Secretary of Education requirements. Unexpended grant funds must be redistributed to payments under section 7007(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

What does GENERAL PROVISIONS. of Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act do?

This section outlines general provisions related to the grant program. Grant funds may be used for construction, renovation, or repair of school facilities. Local educational agencies can use in-kind contributions to meet the non-Federal share requirement. Funds cannot be used for projects lacking full title, a long-term Tribal lease, or another defined interest. Funds must supplement, not supplant, existing non-Federal funding for school facilities. The Secretary of Education must submit an annual report on projects funded by the Act. Unsuccessful grant applicants may have their applications considered for the following fiscal year, up to a four-year period. The Secretary of Education will maintain a priority listing of eligible local educational agencies. The term 'local educational agency' is defined by reference to section 7013 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

Back to bills

Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act

Last updated: 4/3/2025 · Introduced: 4/3/2025

Author: John Garamendi (D-CA)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill establishes a federal-local partnership to provide funding for construction, renovation, and repair of school facilities in local educational agencies (FILEAs) eligible for Impact Aid payments.
The bill authorizes $250 million annually for four years, prioritizing grants based on facility condition, with a focus on addressing immediate health and safety hazards.
Formula grants will be provided to FILEAs, modifying existing Impact Aid payment calculations to include specific student populations.
Local educational agencies seeking grants must demonstrate need, with priority given to those with limited bond issuance capacity or low property values.
Grant recipients are required to contribute a portion of project costs, with the percentage varying based on their learning opportunity threshold, and funds must supplement, not supplant, existing local funding.

119th Congressin committeeOfficial page

Verified Votes

No verified votes yet.

Community Votes

No community votes yet. Be the first!

Voting as guest · Sign in for verified votes

Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 8 more.

10 sections

Click "Show details" to explore individual sections. Use the community vote above or visit All Sections to vote per section.

Read official text

Want the full experience?

Create a free account to cast verified votes on each section, get a personalized summary, and track your voting history.

Create Free Account