House Leadership Proposed $130 Billion for School Facilities in Moving Forward Act

Speaker Pelosi unveiled the U.S. House 1.5 trillion infrastructure package called, The Moving Forward Act on June 18th. The infrastructure package includes $100 billion in grants to the states over the next five years for school facilities modernization and construction and another $30 billion in interest subsidized bonds. The states will need to allocate these funds to low wealth and high need districts. 

This happened, in no small part, because of the hard work state directors did at the NCSF annual meetings working to educate members of Congress and their staff on the facilities issues in the states. The work is not done. It is surely likely to pass the House, but will need to pass in the Senate and be signed by the President to become law. However, a major step has been taken.  

The school facilities section of this large bill is called Reopen and Rebuild America's Schools and is intended to help with facilities related costs of reopening. Read Chairman of the Education & Labor Committee, Rep. Bobby Scott's press release. 

Because the grants are to be allocated by states, it will be important for your state to have a plan for implementation early. NCSF will schedule a discussion for state officials on this, as soon as it passes the House--early to mid July.