{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://owens.house.gov/posts/owens-leads-legislation-to-protect-student-learning-during-teacher-strikes-and-public-health-emergencies", "Owens Leads Legislation to Protect Student Learning During Teacher Strikes and Public Health Emergencies", "2026-03-12", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "House", "UT", "Burgess Owens", "O000086", "owens.house.gov", "owens", "https://owens.house.gov/press", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 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.\n\n\u201cEducation 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\u2019t get back,\u201d said Rep. Owens. \u201cOur students and our teachers need to be in class. The Kids in Classes Act puts parents back in the driver\u2019s 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.\u201d\n\nSen. Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced a companion bill in the Senate on Wednesday.\n\n\u201cEducation should never be held hostage to politics,\u201d said Sen. Scott. \u201cFor 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\u2019t. The Kids in Classes Act puts families first and guarantees that education dollars are used for education \u2013 even when the school doors are closed. Our focus must remain where it belongs: protecting children\u2019s futures and expanding opportunity in every community.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nWhen 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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nCOVID-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\u2019t always public health emergencies that can take a toll on students\u2019 time learning in the classroom, extended teacher strikes also take children from the classroom, costing the time and continuity needed for lasting education gains.\n\nThe 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.\n\nThose qualified educational expenses could include:\n\nCurriculum and curricular materials\n\nBooks or instructional materials\n\nTechnological educational materials\n\nOnline educational materials\n\nTutoring or educational classes outside the home\n\nPrivate school tuition\n\nTesting fees\n\nDiagnostic tools\n\nEducational therapies for students with disabilities\n\nTo 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.\n\nThe full text of the legislation is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://owens.house.gov/posts/owens-leads-legislation-to-protect-student-learning-during-teacher-strikes-and-public-health-emergencies"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6144428625702858, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}