To establish an alternative use of certain Federal education funds when in-person instruction is not available.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7918 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7918 To establish an alternative use of certain Federal education funds when in-person instruction is not available. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 12, 2026 Mr. Owens introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To establish an alternative use of certain Federal education funds when in-person instruction is not available. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Kids in Classes Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) Research indicates that children living in the poorest 20 percent of neighborhoods in the United States will experience the most negative and long-lasting effects of school closures. (2) Researchers predict that 1 year of school closures will cost ninth graders in the poorest communities a 25-percent decrease in their post-educational earning potential, even if that year of closure is followed by 3 years of normal schooling. By contrast, the same researchers predict no substantial losses for students from the richest 20 percent of neighborhoods. (3) Long periods of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic deprive low-income students and students of color the equalizing force of education. (4) School closures will widen educational inequality and the learning gaps created by these closures will persist as students progress through high school, putting their future prospects at risk. (5) Data shows that closed classrooms were disproportionately composed of disadvantaged students, as well as students with low mathematics scores, students with limited En