Luján, Tillis, Gillibrand, Mullin Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Schools Serving Students in Military and Tribal Communities
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) reintroduced the Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act, bipartisan legislation to advance Impact Aid programs closer to full funding and increase funding for public school districts on federal land, which are tax-exempt and therefore have significantly less tax revenue to meet their schools’ and students’ needs.
The Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act introduces a five-year plan to increase funding for four Impact Aid programs by bringing Impact Aid Basic Support Payments and Federal Property Payments closer to full funding. Further, the legislation increases funding for Children with Disabilities Payments and Construction Payments to meet the needs of federally impacted schools and children.
In 1950, Congress created Impact Aid to provide direct federal support for public school districts that lack a critical state and local tax base. Impact Aid provides payments in lieu of taxes for school districts serving military families, families that live or work on federal property, students who live in low-rent public housing, students with disabilities, and Native American students living on Tribal lands. Impact Aid funding can be used for instructional materials, teacher salaries, school construction, and other educational needs. Nationwide, Impact Aid supports more than 1,100 school districts and over 10 million students. Despite national importance, Congress has not adequately funded Impact Aid programs since 1969.
“The federal government has an obligation to fully support public schools and students on federal and Tribal lands, whose teachers work just as hard and whose students are no less deserving,” said Senator Luján. “That is why I’m proud to reintroduce the bipartisan Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act to increase funding for critical Impact Aid programs and ensure that federally impacted school districts – many of which serve Tribal and military communities – have the resources they deserve.”
“Impact Aid is a lifeline for school districts that serve military families, Native communities, and other areas impacted by federally tax-exempt land,” said Senator Tillis. “I’m proud to support this bipartisan legislation, which will provide students with the resources they deserve and give schools the long-term stability needed to plan for the future.”
“Every school should have the resources it needs to provide our kids with a high-quality education,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Yet too many school districts that cover tax-exempt federal land lose out on critical tax dollars and face serious budget challenges. Our bipartisan legislation will work to close those funding gaps and help ensure that schools across the country have the support they need to provide students with a quality education. I will keep fighting to deliver much-needed federal dollars to support schools across New York, and I look forward to getting this critical legislation across the finish line.”
“Oklahoma K-12 schools often face unique budgetary challenges due to the presence of vast tax-exempt federal property, including large military installations and Indian territory,” said Senator Mullin. “Our bipartisan bill, the Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act will provide our schools with the resources they need to make up this lost revenue and provide the best education for our children.”
“Impact Aid is essential to ensuring federally impacted school districts can meet the needs of their students,” said Cherise Imai, Executive Director of the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS). “For too long, these communities have been shortchanged, hindering their ability to deliver the high-quality education all students deserve. The Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act takes meaningful action to address this funding gap and move us closer to fulfilling the federal government’s responsibility to students, families, and schools nationwide.”
The Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act is endorsed by: the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS), Blue Star Families, Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), National Rural Education Association (NREA), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), National Education Association (NEA), Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA), Federal Lands Impacted Schools Association (FLISA), Learning Opportunity Impacted Schools Association (LO-ISA), Military Impacted Schools Association (MISA), National Indian Impacted Schools Association (NIISA), and School Superintendents Association (AASA). This bill is also endorsed by Oceanside Unified School District, which has schools on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
Full bill text is available here.
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