Overview

Title

To appropriate funds for the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education.

ELI5 AI

The "Showing Up for Students Act" wants to give $280 million to a special office that makes sure schools treat everyone fairly, but it doesn't say exactly how the money will be used, which could be confusing.

Summary AI

S. 3883, titled the "Showing Up for Students Act," aims to allocate $280 million to the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education. This funding is for fiscal year 2024 and will remain available until the end of fiscal year 2025. It is intended to support the necessary expenses for the Office that ensures compliance with civil rights in education. The bill was introduced by several senators, including Mr. Casey and Mr. Fetterman, and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Appropriations for further consideration.

Published

2024-03-06
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: SENATE
Status: Introduced in Senate
Date: 2024-03-06
Package ID: BILLS-118s3883is

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
2
Words:
246
Pages:
2
Sentences:
6

Language

Nouns: 79
Verbs: 17
Adjectives: 5
Adverbs: 3
Numbers: 13
Entities: 29

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.14
Average Sentence Length:
41.00
Token Entropy:
4.33
Readability (ARI):
21.95

AnalysisAI

Summary of the Bill

The proposed legislation, titled the "Showing Up for Students Act," aims to allocate funding to the Office for Civil Rights within the U.S. Department of Education. Specifically, the bill seeks to appropriate $280 million for the office for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, with these funds remaining available until September 30, 2025. The money is sourced from the U.S. Treasury's funds that have not been designated for other purposes. The legislation was introduced in the Senate and has been referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

Significant Issues

A notable issue with this bill is the broad language used to describe the appropriation, specifically the phrase "necessary expenses." This lack of specificity could lead to various interpretations of how the funds are to be used, potentially resulting in the misuse of the funds. Furthermore, the legislation does not include detailed documentation or directives about how the funds should be specifically utilized by the Office for Civil Rights.

Additionally, the bill does not establish any mechanisms for accountability or transparency in the utilization of the funds. There are no requirements for the Office for Civil Rights to report on how the $280 million will be allocated or spent. This could lead to concerns about the potential for wasteful spending and a lack of oversight on the usage of taxpayer dollars.

Impact on the Public

For the general public, this bill could signify a continued commitment to ensuring civil rights within educational settings. By providing significant funding, the Office for Civil Rights could potentially enhance its capabilities to address and resolve civil rights complaints in schools, thus fostering a fairer educational environment for all students.

However, the absence of specific guidelines on how the funds will be spent could also lead to public concern over whether the significant financial resources are being utilized effectively and responsibly. Taxpayers may be wary of potential inefficiencies or misuse of these funds without clear documentation and oversight.

Impact on Stakeholders

Positive Impact:
The Office for Civil Rights is poised to benefit significantly from the bill's proposed funding. With increased financial resources, the office might better execute its mandate to protect student civil rights across the United States, potentially handling more cases and delivering timely resolutions. Educators and school administrators could also indirectly benefit as improved resources for the office may lead to better guidance and support in managing civil rights issues.

Negative Impact:
Stakeholders concerned with fiscal responsibility and government accountability may view this bill skeptically. The lack of detailed allocation information and accountability measures could be perceived as potential for inefficient use of public resources. Without clear directives, there is a risk that the funds may not create the intended impact or that they might be spent on areas not directly enhancing civil rights in education. This could lead to distrust among public and educational policy advocacy groups focused on government transparency and financial efficiency.

Financial Assessment

The bill known as the "Showing Up for Students Act" presents a financial plan to support civil rights in education by allocating $280 million to the Office for Civil Rights within the Department of Education. This appropriation is for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, with the funds remaining available until September 30, 2025. Such an allocation is intended to address and oversee compliance with civil rights regulations across educational institutions, facilitating an environment that upholds equality and fairness.

Financial Allocations and Concerns

A key issue related to this allocation is the absence of detailed documentation on how the $280 million will specifically be utilized. Without clear guidelines and a breakdown of the spending areas, there is potential for concerns to arise regarding possible wasteful spending. This can affect public perception and accountability, as constituents expect transparency regarding how taxpayer money is spent.

Moreover, the bill does not outline specific accountability or reporting mechanisms to trace the usage of these funds by the Office for Civil Rights. The absence of such mechanisms can raise questions about transparency and leave the door open to possible mismanagement or inefficiencies. Ensuring that there are robust reporting requirements can provide reassurance that the funds are being directed towards their intended purposes effectively.

Language and Execution Ambiguities

The phrase "necessary expenses," used to describe the purpose of the allocated funds, is quite broad. While intended to give the Office for Civil Rights the flexibility to address a range of needs, it also leaves room for interpretation that could lead to misuse or misallocation of resources. Considering the broadness of the language, it is important for future guidance to delineate clearer boundaries for spending to prevent misinterpretation.

Additionally, this broad language could result in ambiguities during execution, especially if specific goals and priorities are not clearly defined. Ambiguities in how resources are to be used could hinder efficient use, limiting the impact of the funding on improving civil rights compliance in the education sector.

In summary, while the proposed allocation of $280 million to the Office for Civil Rights is a significant step towards bolstering education equality, the bill would benefit from more detailed guidelines and accountability measures to ensure these funds are utilized as effectively and transparently as possible.

Issues

  • The allocation of $280,000,000 for the Office for Civil Rights without detailed documentation on how the funds will be specifically utilized could lead to concerns about potential wasteful spending, relating to Section 2.

  • There is no specific accountability or reporting mechanism mentioned for how the Office for Civil Rights will use these funds, which might raise transparency issues, referring to Section 2.

  • The term 'necessary expenses' is broad and could encompass a wide range of uses, potentially leading to misinterpretation or misuse of funds, as mentioned in Section 2.

  • The lack of detailed language about fund allocation could make the execution ambiguous, affecting efficient use of resources, pertinent to Section 2.

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Short title Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The first section of this act states that it will be called the “Showing Up for Students Act.”

2. Funding for the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section provides funding of $280,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, to the Office for Civil Rights within the Department of Education. This money will be available until September 30, 2025, and comes from Treasury funds not allocated for other purposes.

Money References

  • In addition to amounts otherwise made available, there is appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for expenses necessary for the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education, as established under section 203 of the Department of Education Organization Act (20 U.S.C. 3413), $280,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, to remain available until September 30, 2025. ---