Public Education Revitalization and Accountability Act of 2025 — Plain Language Explainer

This bill puts public schools first, gives parents real visibility, pays teachers fairly, feeds every kid, and forces results. If you take federal money, you meet real standards—no loopholes, no excuses.

What this bill does

• Public funds, public schools: Federal education dollars go to LEA-run public schools only. Parents can choose any school, but federal money stays in public systems.
• Real mastery, no social promotion: Students advance when they meet grade standards. If they don’t, schools must provide tutoring and a written plan—with parent notice and appeal rights.
• Three graduation pathways: Academic, Technical, and Artistic—equal diplomas, easy switching, and protected credit portability so no one gets set back.
• Testing used to improve teaching: Short, quarterly evaluations to fix instruction. Caps testing time at 2% of the year. Validated alternatives allowed.
• No grading curves: We don’t force a certain number of kids to fail or pass. Mastery drives grades.
• 360° feedback: Anonymous, aggregate classroom reviews from students, parents, teachers, and admins—with timelines to handle complaints.
• Fair teacher pay: Transparent pay scales aligned to private-sector equivalents, with equity for rural/high-need districts. Mediation if bargaining stalls.
• Resource equity: National minimum standards for facilities, tech, materials, and extracurriculars—phased in over 7 years.
• Accountability with teeth: Annual audits. Chronic noncompliance triggers court-approved receivership with due process, limited scope, periodic review, and a clear exit.
• Universal school meals: Every student gets free, nutritionally complete breakfast and lunch—no stigma. Allergy/cultural options included.
• Teacher development: Mentors for new teachers, paid PD, recognized micro-credentials, and public impact reporting.
• Technology + digital literacy: 1:1 devices (phased), campus broadband, age-appropriate media/cyber/data/privacy/AI literacy. No tracking or ads on school devices. Buy American and repairability rules.
• Mental health supports: Counselors and psychologists at sane ratios (phased), trauma-informed care, telehealth options, confidentiality protections.
• Curriculum integrity + parent voice: Publish curricula; parents have formal input. Beliefs can be discussed, but facts remain facts—science and history are not negotiable.
• Dashboards: Quarterly, public, disaggregated data on outcomes, pay equity, resources, mental health access, and digital literacy.
• Data privacy: Consent for non-instructional data, strict minimization and retention, breach reporting, DPOs in every district, vendor audits, and no behavioral ads.
• Teacher pipeline: Scholarships, paid residencies, loan forgiveness after five years in high-need schools, housing help, and credential reciprocity.
• Special populations: Dedicated supports for English learners, gifted students, homeless and foster youth—with civil rights monitoring.
• Safety + climate: Restorative practices, anti-bullying, bias-free discipline, and safe, accessible facilities.
• Facilities + transport: Grants for HVAC, water, accessibility, modernization, and cleaner buses—phased timeline.
• Community schools: Integrate health, social services, after-school, and family engagement. Federal partnerships encouraged.
• Pilots + reauthorization: Try new models, study long-term impacts, and reauthorize in 10 years with independent evaluation.
• Collective bargaining: Existing contracts respected; future ones align to pay benchmarks—with mediation/arbitration if compliance is blocked.
• Charters: LEA-run charters treated as public; independent charters don’t receive funds under this Act unless under other federal laws—and must meet equivalent transparency if they do.
• State waivers: Innovation allowed with guardrails, independent evaluation, and sunsets.
• Rulemaking deadlines: Interim guidance at 180 days, full regs at 365. Defaults apply if deadlines slip.
• Severability + effective date: If a piece is struck, the rest stands. Starts next fiscal year.
• Interagency coordination: USDA, FCC, HHS, FTC, EPA, and DOE issue joint guidance and unified standards—no siloed chaos.

What changes for families

• Free meals for every kid: No forms, no stigma. Allergy and cultural needs respected.
• Real transparency: Curricula and dashboards online. Parents have a formal, evidence-weighted voice.
• Better support: Clear remediation plans, counseling access, and protected pathways to graduation.

What changes for teachers

• Fair pay + clarity: Market benchmarks, transparent scales, and equity across districts.
• Backed by training: Paid PD, mentors, micro-credentials—with real-world impact reporting, not test-prep grind.
• Reasonable assessments: Short, purpose-built evaluations to improve instruction, not punish students.

What changes for taxpayers

• Receipts and results: Public dashboards, audits, and annual compliance reports.
• No wasted dollars: Funds tied to standards; noncompliant districts face corrective plans or court-limited receivership.
• Smart procurement: Repairable devices, Buy American preference, and e-waste rules.

Timeline

• 180 days: Interim federal guidance.
• 1 year: Final regulations; minimum standards set.
• 3 years: Device programs and core tech standards in place.
• 5 years: Mental health staffing ratios met.
• 7 years: Facilities modernization and equity standards fully met.

Accountability, simplified

• Public dashboards: Quarterly, subgrouped data on outcomes and equity.
• Independent audits: Annual OPEA compliance checks.
• Receivership with guardrails: Court-approved, time-limited, and focused solely on restoring compliance.

Bottom line: If you cash federal checks, you deliver for kids—transparent, fair, and fact-based. This bill makes that non-negotiable.