20 U.S. Code § 7703d - Assistance to local educational agencies that benefit dependents of members of the Armed Forces with enrollment changes due to base closures, force structure changes, or force relocations

(a) Assistance authorized

To assist communities in making adjustments resulting from changes in the size or location of the Armed Forces, the Secretary of Defense shall provide financial assistance to an eligible local educational agency described in subsection (b) if, during the period between the end of the school year preceding the fiscal year for which the assistance is authorized and the beginning of the school year immediately preceding that school year, the local educational agency—

(1) had (as determined by the Secretary of Defense in consultation with the Secretary of Education) an overall increase or reduction of—

(A) not less than five percent in the average daily attendance of military dependent students in the schools of the local educational agency; or

(B) not less than 500 military dependent students in average daily attendance in the schools of the local educational agency; or

(2) is projected to have an overall increase, between fiscal years 2023 and 2028, of not less than 500 military dependent students in average daily attendance in the schools of the local educational agency as the result of a signed record of decision.

(b) Eligible local educational agencies

A local educational agency is eligible for assistance under subsection (a) for a fiscal year if—

(1) 20 percent or more of students enrolled in schools of the local educational agency are military dependent students; and

(2) in the case of assistance described in subsection (a)(1), the overall increase or reduction in military dependent students in schools of the local educational agency is the result of one or more of the following:

(A) The global rebasing plan of the Department of Defense.

(B) The official creation or activation of one or more new military units.

(C) The realignment of forces as a result of the base closure process.

(D) A change in the number of housing units on a military installation.

(E) A signed record of decision.

(c) Calculation of amount of assistance

(1) Pro rata distribution

The amount of the assistance provided under subsection (a) to a local educational agency that is eligible for such assistance for a fiscal year shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying—

(A) the per-student rate determined under paragraph (2) for that fiscal year; by

(B) the net of the overall increases and reductions in the number of military dependent students in schools of the local educational agency, as determined under subsection (a).

(2) Per-student rate

For purposes of paragraph (1)(A), the per-student rate for a fiscal year shall be equal to the dollar amount obtained by dividing—

(A) the total amount of funds made available for that fiscal year to provide assistance under subsection (a); by

(B) the sum of the overall increases and reductions in the number of military dependent students in schools of all eligible local educational agencies for that fiscal year under that subsection.

(3) Maximum amount of assistance

A local educational agency may not receive more than $15,000,000 in assistance under subsection (a) for any fiscal year.

(d) Duration

Assistance may not be provided under subsection (a) after September 30, 2028.

(e) Notification

Not later than June 30, 2023, and June 30 of each fiscal year thereafter for which funds are made available to carry out this section, the Secretary of Defense shall notify each local educational agency that is eligible for assistance under subsection (a) for that fiscal year of—

(1) the eligibility of the local educational agency for the assistance; and

(2) the amount of the assistance for which the local educational agency is eligible.

(f) Disbursement of funds

The Secretary of Defense shall disburse assistance made available under subsection (a) for a fiscal year not later than 30 days after the date on which notification to the eligible local educational agencies is provided pursuant to subsection (e) for that fiscal year.

(g) Briefing required

Not later than March 1, 2023, the Secretary of Defense shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the estimated cost of providing assistance to local educational agencies under subsection (a) through September 30, 2028.

(h) Eligible uses

Amounts disbursed to a local education agency under subsection (f) may be used by such local educational agency for—

(1) general fund purposes;

(2) special education;

(3) school maintenance and operation;

(4) school expansion; or

(5) new school construction.

(i) Funding

(1) Increase

Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for Operation and Maintenance, Defense-wide, Department of Defense Education Activity, Line 390, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, is hereby increased by $15,000,000 for purposes of this section.

(2) Offset

Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be appropriated in section 301 for Operation and Maintenance, Defense-wide, for Washington Headquarters Services, Line 500, as specified in the corresponding funding table in section 4301, is hereby reduced by $15,000,000.

(j) Definitions

In this section:

(1) The term “base closure process” means any base closure and realignment process conducted after December 23, 2022, under section 2687 of title 10 or any other similar law enacted after that date.

(2) The term “local educational agency” has the meaning given that term in section 7713(9) of this title.

(3) The term “military dependent students” means—

(A) elementary and secondary school students who are dependents of members of the Armed Forces; and

(B) elementary and secondary school students who are dependents of civilian employees of the Department of Defense.

(4) The term “State” means each of the several States and the District of Columbia.

(Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title V, § 575, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2602.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Division D, referred to in subsec. (i), means div. D of Pub. L. 117–263, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3102, which is not classified to the Code.

Section 301, referred to in subsec. (i), means section 301 of Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title III, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2500, which is not classified to the Code.

Section 4301, referred to in subsec. (i), means section 4301 of Pub. L. 117–263, div. D, title XLIII, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3155, which is not classified to the Code.

Codification

Section was enacted as part of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, and not as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 which comprises this chapter.