Bill Summary
The Family Friendly Schools Act is a proposed legislation that aims to provide funds to 500 elementary schools to implement policies that align the school day with the work day, in order to support working families. It also includes a supplemental grant program for summer programs and requires eligible entities to provide matching funds. The Secretary will report to Congress on the success of the program and funds cannot be used to supplant other funds. The legislation also includes an appropriation of $1,300,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2021 to 2025, with an additional $1,300,000,000 specifically allocated for summer programs.
Possible Impacts
1. Families with children attending elementary schools included in the grant program will benefit from better alignment between school and work schedules, making it easier to balance work and family responsibilities.
2. Local educational agencies and community organizations partnering with eligible entities will receive funding to implement family friendly policies, such as restructuring the school day and collaborating with community partners, to better support working families.
3. Students and their families will have access to a wider range of programs and activities during summer recess through the supplemental grant program, providing valuable support for working families during this time.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8714 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8714
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide
grants to local educational agencies to establish ``Family Friendly
School'' policies at 500 elementary schools that align the school day
with the work day to better support working families and to disseminate
the learnings from these model schools so that other local educational
agencies may adopt these practices, and to establish a supplemental
21st century community learning centers grant program to support
programs and activities during summer recess when school is not in
session.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 30, 2020
Mr. Morelle (for himself and Mr. Vela) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide
grants to local educational agencies to establish ``Family Friendly
School'' policies at 500 elementary schools that align the school day
with the work day to better support working families and to disseminate
the learnings from these model schools so that other local educational
agencies may adopt these practices, and to establish a supplemental
21st century community learning centers grant program to support
programs and activities during summer recess when school is not in
session.
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 ``Family Friendly Schools Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Schools are shut down for an average of 29 days
throughout the school year, which is 2 weeks longer than the
typical American with paid leave has in paid holidays and
vacation.
(2) Moreover, 39 percent of all workers, and 80 percent of
low-wage workers, lack access to any paid vacation time.
(3) Most schools close at or around 3 p.m., 2 hours short
of the standard full-time work day.
(4) Fewer than \1/2\ of elementary schools and fewer than
\1/3\ of low-income schools offer before and afterschool care.
(5) In communities across the Nation, 1 in 5 school-aged
children were unsupervised after school.
(6) In 2014, parents of approximately 19,400,000 children
who were not in an afterschool program said that their children
would participate if a program were available.
(7) If families pay out of pocket for child care to cover
the excess school closure days and the hours between 3 p.m. and
5 p.m., it would cost an average of $6,600 per year, or 9
percent of an average family's income.
(8) Moreover, 73 percent of families report some difficulty
in finding summer care.
(9) Many working parents are forced to make job-related
changes during the summer. In 57 percent of families, at least
one parent makes a change to their job that is likely to result
in a smaller paycheck, and in nearly \1/3\ of families, both
parents make a job sacrifice.
(10) The misalignment of school and work schedules creates
a significant strain on working parents and guardians,
particularly mothers and Black, Latino, low-income, and single
working parents, and those with irregular schedules.
(11) Misaligned school schedules cost the United States
economy $55,000,000,000 in lost productivity annually.
(12) 1,000,000 women with elementary school-aged children
work less than full time because of their caregiving
responsibilities.
(13) More than 8 in 10 parents of children in afterschool
programs agree that afterschool programs help working parents
keep their jobs.
(14) More than half of families report a desire for their
child to participate in a summer learning program.
(15) Aligning school and work schedules is both an economic
growth and child development strategy.
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM FOR FAMILY FRIENDLY SCHOOLS.
Title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``PART G--FAMILY FRIENDLY SCHOOLS
``SEC. 4701. GRANT PROGRAM FOR FAMILY FRIENDLY SCHOOLS.
``(a) Authorization.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to
eligible entities to enable the establishment of `Family
Friendly School' policies at a total of 500 elementary schools
that align the school day with the work day to better support
working families.
``(2) Duration.--Each grant awarded under this section
shall be for a 5-year period.
``(3) Amount.--Each grant awarded under this section shall
be in an amount that is not more than $5,000,000 for the grant
period for each elementary school at which Family Friendly
School policies are established by the eligible entity. In
determining the grant amount, the Secretary shall consider the
number of students served.
``(4) Matching requirement.--As a condition of receiving a
grant under this section, an eligible entity shall provide,
from non-Federal sources, matching funds in an amount equal to
not less than 10 percent of the cost of establishing Family
Friendly School policies under this section. A parent copayment
or fee collected by the eligible entity shall not qualify as
matching funds.
``(b) Eligible Entities.--In this section, the term `eligible
entity' means--
``(1) a local educational agency--
``(A) that serves schools receiving assistance
under part A of title I; and
``(B) that--
``(i) has not reduced the instructional
time or number of instructional days for
elementary schools at any point during the 4-
year period preceding the date of the
application for a grant under this section; or
``(ii) has reduced the instructional time
or number of instructional days for elementary
schools at any point during the 4-year period
preceding the date of the application for a
grant under this section but pledges--
``(I) to reverse the reduction
without the use of Federal funds; and
``(II) to return any Federal funds
received under this section if the
local educational agency does not
reverse the reduction without the use
of Federal funds not later than 1 year
after the date of receipt of the
Federal funds; or
``(2) a local educational agency described in paragraph (1)
in partnership with a nonprofit or community-based organization
with a demonstrated record of providing high-quality enrichment
activities for children.
``(c) Application.--An eligible entity that desires to receive a
grant under this section shall submit an application at such time, in
such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may
require, including--
``(1) the number of elementary schools at which the
eligible entity desires to establish Family Friendly School
policies;
``(2) how such elementary schools will align with other
schools and local educational agencies in the same geographic
area in ways that support working families with children in
different schools; and
``(3) how such elementary schools will make necessary
adjustments to transportation to serve students attending such
schools, including students with disabilities.
``(d) Award of Grants.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that--
``(1) serve schools that have been identified by the local
educational agency in the eligible entity to have the greatest
need for aligning the school day with the work day to better
support working families (such as through a survey of parents
in the district to identify which schools have the most single
parents who work outside the home, families with 2 working
parents, or parents working irregular schedules); and
``(2) propose--
``(A) to restructure and expand the school day to
better meet the needs of working families, students,
and teachers rather than adding on to the existing,
unchanged school schedule; and
``(B) to leverage community resources, such as
nonprofit or government programs for children or
interested stakeholders in the community, to provide
academic, athletic, or enrichment activities during the
additional school hours.
``(e) Use of Funds.--
``(1) Planning.--An eligible entity that receives a grant
under this section shall spend the first year of the grant
planning and consulting with teachers, parents, students, and
community organizations about how best to design and implement
the Family Friendly School policies. Such first year grant
period shall include a needs and assets assessment that
identifies the academic, nonacademic, physical and mental
health, and other needs that would be most helpful in
supporting working families as they seek to maintain employment
while supporting their children's development.
``(2) Establishment of family friendly school policies.--An
eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall
establish, after the first year of the grant period, Family
Friendly School policies at an elementary school in accordance
with the following:
``(A) If the eligible entity serves both schools
that receive assistance under part A of title I and
schools that do not receive assistance under such part,
the eligible entity shall first serve, with funds
provided under the grant, schools that receive
assistance under such part.
``(B) An elementary school at which Family Friendly
School policies are established shall not increase the
amount of time teachers, paraprofessionals, and other
school staff have to work unless they volunteer to work
additional hours, which additional hours shall be
compensated at no less than the rate the teachers,
paraprofessionals, and other school staff earn for
regular school hours.
``(C) An elementary school at which Family Friendly
School policies are established shall collaborate with
community partners to develop high-quality, culturally
relevant, linguistically accessible, developmentally
appropriate academic, athletic, extracurricular,
enrichment, or community-based learning opportunities,
for students from at least 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (or
different hours if determined appropriate due to the
needs of the community) Monday through Friday during
the school year.
``(D) An elementary school at which Family Friendly
School policies are established shall not close
throughout the school year, except on Federal holidays,
weekends, and during weather emergencies and other
emergencies that would make it a safety liability for
children to be at school. Specifically, each elementary
school at which Family Friendly School policies are
established may not close for parent-teacher
conferences, professional development, or for any other
reason without offering full day enrichment activities
free of charge for students.
``(E) An elementary school at which Family Friendly
School policies are established shall develop and
implement evidence-based policies and practices for
parent and family engagement to support working
families and help better align school and work
schedules, which shall include at least one of the
following activities:
``(i) Providing one or more of the parent
and family engagement activities permitted
under this Act.
``(ii) Providing assistance to families to
leverage existing programs that support working
families, such as programs under the Child Care
and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), the program of block
grants to States for temporary assistance for
needy families under part A of title IV of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.),
the Medicaid program under title XIX of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.),
and the supplemental nutrition assistance
program under the Food and Nutrition Act of
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).
``(iii) Making school buildings available
for programs that serve parents, students, and
families when school is not in session.
``(iv) Hosting parent-teacher conferences
and other school events in the evening, or at
times that are convenient for parents who work
outside the home, or using technology to speak
with parents virtually.
``(v) Engaging in any other activities and
strategies appropriate and consistent with the
school's parent and family engagement policies
and practices, which may include consulting
with parents, students, and community
organizations to support collaborative
leadership.
``(F) An elementary school at which Family Friendly
School policies are established shall annually survey
parents, teachers, students, school administrators, and
community organizations throughout the 5-year grant
period to ask about their satisfaction with the
programs and activities funded through the grant.
``(3) Coordination activities.--An eligible entity that
receives a grant under this section may allocate not more than
2 percent of the grant funds to the local mayor or other head
of the locality to coordinate with the eligible entity,
parents, teachers, school administrators, local businesses, the
local workforce development board, and other community
organizations to strategize about how elementary schools at
which Family Friendly School policies are established will
align their calendar with other schools served by the eligible
entity and with other schools in the same geographic region in
ways that support working families with children in different
schools.
``(f) Report and Evaluation.--
``(1) In general.--At the 3-year mark in the grant period
and at the conclusion of the 5-year grant period, the Secretary
shall report to Congress on--
``(A) approaches taken by the elementary schools at
which Family Friendly School policies are established
to align school and work schedules, including district-
level changes or supports provided to schools to assist
these efforts;
``(B) survey results on parent, teacher, student,
school administrator, and community organization
satisfaction with elementary schools at which Family
Friendly School policies are established;
``(C) where available, information about changes in
parental employment over the 5-year grant period for
each elementary school at which Family Friendly School
policies are established, which may include information
provided voluntarily by parents about--
``(i) changes in parental employment rates
by gender; and
``(ii) changes in parental wages by gender;
``(D) aggregate improvements in student engagement
and performance, such as improvements in grades,
standardized test scores, class participation,
classroom behavior, and attendance rates, including
rates of chronic absenteeism and tardiness, for each
elementary school at which Family Friendly School
policies are established;
``(E) changes in overall teacher compensation and
retention rates over the grant period for each
elementary school at which Family Friendly School
policies are established;
``(F) best practices and recommendations for
creating schools that better align school and work
schedules;
``(G) best practices and recommendations for
communities to align school schedules and calendars
among all schools within a school district and with
schools in other school districts, and between schools
and businesses;
``(H) best practices and recommendations for parent
and family engagement policies to support working
families and help better align school and work
schedules; and
``(I) best practices and recommendations for
strengthening partnerships between schools and
community resources.
``(2) Disaggregation.--The information provided under
paragraph (1) shall be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and
income, where appropriate.
``(3) Privacy.--The Secretary shall collect and disseminate
information under this subsection in a manner that protects the
privacy of individuals.
``(g) Supplement, Not Supplant.--An eligible entity that receives a
grant under this section shall use the grant funds to supplement, and
not supplant, other funds available to carry out the activities
described in this section.
``(h) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to alter, diminish, or otherwise affect the rights, remedies,
and procedures afforded to individuals employed by schools or local
educational agencies.''.
SEC. 4. SUPPLEMENTAL 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS GRANT
PROGRAM.
Part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171 et seq.) is amended by striking section 4206 and
inserting the following:
``SEC. 4206. SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS.
``(a) In General.--From amounts appropriated under section 4207(b),
the Secretary shall carry out a supplemental grant program under this
part, through which grants shall be allotted to States in accordance
with section 4202 (except that section 4202(a)(1) shall not apply).
``(b) Terms, Conditions, Requirements.--The terms, conditions, and
requirements of this part shall apply to supplemental grants awarded
under this section (including requirements relating to the State use of
funds, State application and approval process, the local competitive
subgrant program, and local activities), except that funds awarded to
eligible entities for community learning centers under this section
shall be awarded for community learning centers that propose--
``(1) to establish or expand programs and activities
carried out during summer recess when school is not in session;
or
``(2) to establish or expand programs and activities--
``(A) carried out during summer recess when school
is not in session; and
``(B) carried out during afterschool hours.
``SEC. 4207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this part (other than section 4206) $1,300,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
``(b) Supplemental Grants for Summer Programs.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 4206 $1,300,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.''.
SEC. 5. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
Section 4202 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7172) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by striking ``section 4206'' and inserting ``section
4207(a)''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``section 4206'' and
inserting ``section 4207(a)''.
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