Keep Our PACT Act

Full Title:
Keep Our PACT Act

Summary#

This bill, the Keep Our PACT Act, would require the federal Treasury to provide mandatory funding to fully fund part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Title I Part A) and to increase mandatory funding levels under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for fiscal years 2026 through 2035 and thereafter. For Title I Part A the bill directs appropriations that equal the difference between the fiscal year 2025 Title I Part A appropriation and a yearly target amount (or the full amount authorized for that year, whichever is greater). For IDEA the bill revises section 611(i) to set specific dollar amounts and percentages tied to the number of children with disabilities for each fiscal year 2026 through 2035, and it makes the listed amounts available on set July 1 start dates and available to obligate through specified end dates. The bill also designates the added amounts as emergency requirements under existing budget rules.

What it means for you#

If enacted, the bill would require the federal government to provide the money listed so Title I Part A and IDEA programs receive the full yearly amounts described in the text. The bill’s findings state that Title I Part A addresses educational inequity and that IDEA guarantees education for children with disabilities; the bill ties its funding changes to those programs. The statute changes set yearly funding targets and timelines for when those funds become available for obligation.

Expenses#

Title I Part A: For each fiscal year the bill directs appropriations equal to the difference between the fiscal year 2025 Title I Part A appropriation and the following target amounts (or the full amount authorized for that year, whichever is greater):

  • FY2026: $20,509,878,000
  • FY2027: $22,853,242,000
  • FY2028: $25,464,349,000
  • FY2029: $28,373,788,000
  • FY2030: $31,615,646,000
  • FY2031: $35,227,904,000
  • FY2032: $39,252,882,000
  • FY2033: $43,737,735,000
  • FY2034: $48,735,007,000
  • FY2035: $54,303,244,000

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) changes to section 611(i): The bill sets specific dollar amounts and percentage-based amounts (tied to the ‘‘amount determined under paragraph (2)’’) to be authorized and appropriated for each year. Examples from the text include:

  • FY2026: $16,661,928,000 (or 11.6% of the amount determined under paragraph (2)), and an additional $6,425,048,000 (or 4.5% of that amount), available July 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
  • FY2027: $19,531,844,000 (or 13.4%) and $8,372,932,000 (or 5.7%), available July 1, 2027 through September 30, 2028.
  • FY2028: $22,896,084,000 (or 15.3%) and $10,911,357,000 (or 7.3%), available July 1, 2028 through September 30, 2029.
  • FY2029: $26,839,795,000 (or 17.6%) and $14,219,357,000 (or 9.3%), available July 1, 2029 through September 30, 2030.
  • FY2030: $31,462,786,000 (or 20.2%) and $18,530,244,000 (or 11.9%), available July 1, 2030 through September 30, 2031.
  • FY2031: $36,882,058,000 (or 23.1%) and $24,148,064,000 (or 15.2%), available July 1, 2031 through September 30, 2032.
  • FY2032: $43,234,768,000 (or 26.5%) and $31,469,041,000 (or 19.3%), available July 1, 2032 through September 30, 2033.
  • FY2033: $50,681,693,000 (or 30.4%) and $41,009,521,000 (or 24.6%), available July 1, 2033 through September 30, 2034.
  • FY2034: $59,411,305,000 (or 34.9%) and $53,442,392,000 (or 31.4%), available July 1, 2034 through September 30, 2035.
  • FY2035 and each subsequent year: $69,644,540,000 or 40% of the amount determined under paragraph (2), whichever is greater; those amounts are appropriated and become available on July 1 and remain available through the succeeding September 30 for the applicable year.

The bill expressly states that these amounts are appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated and designates the additions as emergency requirements under specified budget rules.

Proponents' View#

The bill’s findings state that children are the Nation’s future, a high-quality education helps children reach their potential, Title I Part A helps address inequity, IDEA guarantees education for children with disabilities, the 2004 IDEA amendments committed Congress to funding 40 percent of the national average per-pupil expenditure for students with disabilities, and "a promise made must be a promise kept." These findings explain why the bill’s sponsors say mandatory funding is needed.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.