Make Education Great Again Act
The Make Education Great Again Act aims to shift authority over K-12 education away from federal mandates and toward parents, states, and local communities. It directs the Secretary of Education to take steps that empower parents and local decision-makers, revisit or revise regulations that limit parental rights or state/local control, and actively promote school-choice options such as education savings accounts, vouchers, and charter schools. While emphasizing transparency and the reduction of federal administrative burdens, the bill clarifies that it does not create new spending beyond existing appropriations and asserts that federal funds should support student achievement rather than impose mandates. The bill also specifies spending and reporting mechanics, giving the Secretary authority to spend less than the total appropriations as appropriate (within mandatory funding constraints) and requiring quarterly reporting to Congress on unspent funds, affected programs, and the rationale for reduced spending. It includes broad protections for state and local autonomy, parental rights, and homeschooling, and it states that nothing in the act should be construed as imposing federal curriculum mandates or as restricting parents’ rights.
Key Points
- 1Empowers parents and local decision-makers by allowing the Department of Education to focus funds and policies on parental choice and local control rather than federal dictate; contains findings supporting parental rights and local sovereignty.
- 2The Secretary of Education may review, rescind, revise, or amend regulations and guidance that limit parental rights or state/local control, and should promote policies that support school choice (including education savings accounts, vouchers, and charter schools).
- 3Promotes school-choice initiatives and accountability through expanded access to alternative options (ESAs, vouchers, charters) while aiming to reduce federal administrative burdens and increase transparency for parents and communities.
- 4Spending is subject to reductions if appropriate, with a quarterly reporting requirement to Congress detailing unexpended funds, affected programs, and the rationale for reductions (within existing mandatory funding limits).
- 5Strong rules of construction to prevent federal mandates on curricula or policy, preserve parental rights and state/local autonomy, prohibit new federal spending beyond existing appropriations, and avoid regulating homeschooling.