Title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the incentives for the construction and renovation of public schools.
Sponsor: Rep Rangel, Charles B. [3] [D-NY-15] (introduced 5/24/2007)      Cosponsors (174)
Related Bills: S.912 [4]
Latest Major Action: 7/24/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Highlights: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for investment in qualified public school modernization bonds, defined to include: (1) bonds for the construction, rehabilitation, or repair of a public school facility or for the acquisition of land for such facility (qualified school construction bonds); and (2) bonds to finance certain academic programs below the postsecondary level in empowerment zones or enterprise communities (qualified zone academy bonds). Establishes a national limitation on the issuance of such bonds and provides for the allocation of bond amounts among the states according to a specified formula. Terminates the authority for issuance of such bonds after 2009.

ASPIRA Policy Position

ASPIRA supports school construction and modernization efforts.

Title: To direct the Secretary of Education to make grants and low-interest loans to local educational agencies for the construction, modernization, or repair of public kindergarten, elementary, and secondary educational facilities, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Chandler, Ben [6] [D-KY-6] (introduced 7/12/2007)      Cosponsors (5)
Latest Major Action: 9/11/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.Highlights: Makes grants in each fiscal year to local educational agencies (LEAs) in each state for the construction, modernization, or repair of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools to make them safe, healthy, high-performing, and technologically up-to-date. Gives priority to LEAs serving a high number or percentage of disadvantaged children and those whose public schools are in relatively poor condition.

Grant eligibility: Requires LEAs to contribute funds toward the costs of the program, but uses a sliding scale that factors in the relative poverty of an LEA's service area. Requires the Secretary to make low-interest loans to LEAs in each fiscal year for the same purposes and with the same priorities given in the distribution of the grants.

ASPIRA Policy Position

ASPIRA supports school construction and modernization efforts. However, this legislation limits funding to LEAs. ASPIRA favors extending the program to charter schools.

Title: A bill to establish State infrastructure banks for education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [8] [D-NY] (introduced 6/5/2007)      Cosponsors (1)
Related Bills: H.R.2573 [9]
Latest Major Action: 6/5/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.Highlights: Enters into cooperative agreements with states under which: (1) they establish state and multistate infrastructure banks for education; and (2) the Secretary awards grants to states for initial capital to make loans through such banks to local educational agencies and public libraries for construction, reconstruction, or renovation of public elementary or secondary schools and public library facilities. Directs the Secretary to establish Healthy, High Performance School Guidelines for the construction and renovation of schools, educational facilities, and libraries relating to energy efficiency, renewable energy, water use, building materials, indoor environmental quality, and other appropriate matters.

Grant eligibility: Requires any local educational agency or public library using a loan under this Act to fund a new construction or renovation project to ensure that the project conforms, to the maximum extent practicable, to such Healthy, High Performance School Guidelines.

ASPIRA Policy Position

ASPIRA supports school construction and modernization efforts. However, this legislation limits funding to LEAs and public libraries. ASPIRA favors extending the program to charter schools and other non-profit educational facilities.