U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett representing Tennessee's 2nd Congressional District | Official U.S. House headshot
U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett representing Tennessee's 2nd Congressional District | Official U.S. House headshot
U.S. Congressman Tim Burchett has reintroduced legislation aimed at altering the way school grants are distributed by the U.S. Department of Education. The bill, known as H.R. 847 or the Building Lasting Opportunities for Community K-12 (BLOCK) Act, proposes a shift from formula-based grants to block grants that would allocate funds based on amounts received in previous years.
Rep. Burchett argues that the current system allows the Department of Education to favor schools aligning with certain political ideologies, particularly those aligned with Democratic policies. "I come from a family of career educators," he stated. "I know schools’ top priority should be what’s best for the students, not meeting a diversity quota."
The Department of Education's Raise the Bar Policy Brief indicates that in Fiscal Year 2023, nearly $450 million was awarded to 263 grantees across 15 programs prioritizing educator diversity. According to their website, "92 percent of which were to grantees that addressed specific priorities related to educator diversity."
The BLOCK Act seeks to ensure that grant distribution does not discriminate based on race or other factors unrelated to educational needs.
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