,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #c1 #bjai,mr4 ,biggs introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to amend part ,a of title ,i of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife to allow ,states1 in accordance with ,state law1 to let ,federal funds for the education of disadvantaged children follow low-income children to the public school1 charter school1 accredited private school1 or supplemental educational service program they attend1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,ending ,common ,core and ,expanding ,school ,choice ,act4 #b4 ,state educational agency grants to eligible children 7a7 ,in general ,part ,a of title ,i of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #fcaa et seq47 is amended to read as follows3 ,a ,,state ,,educational ,,agency ,,grants ,,to ,,eligible ,,children #aaaa4 ,allocations to ,states 7a7 ,in general ,for each fiscal year1 the ,secretary shall allocate the amount appropriated to carry out this part among ,state education agencies based on the number of eligible children residing in each ,state4 7b7 ,eligible child ,in this section1 the term eligible child means a child aged #e to #ag1 inclusive1 from a family with an income below the poverty level on the basis of the most recent satisfactory data published by the ,department of ,commerce4 7c7 ,criteria of poverty ,in determining the families with incomes below the poverty level for the purposes of this section1 a ,state educational agency shall use the criteria of poverty used by the ,census ,bureau in compiling the most recent decennial census1 as the criteria have been updated by increases in the ,consumer ,price ,index for ,all ,urban ,consumers1 published by the ,bureau of ,labor ,statistics4 #aaab4 ,funds following eligible children 7a7 ,calculation of per pupil amount ,for each fiscal year1 the ,state educational agency shall calculate the per pupil amount by dividing the amount made available to the agency under section #aaaa by the number of eligible children 7as defined in section #aaaa7;b77 residing in the ,state4 7b7 ,use of funds ,each ,state educational agency shall use each per pupil amount calculated under subsection 7a7 for qualified elementary and secondary education expenses and in a manner directed by ,state law4 7c7 ,funds distributed to parents ,in a case in which ,state law directs a ,state educational agency to distribute all or a portion of a per pupil amount to a parent of an eligible child1 the agency also shall determine1 consistent with ,state law1 how the agency will verify that funds are being used in accordance with this section and whether to require the parent to establish an educational savings account or other dedicated account to maintain such funds4 7d7 ,definition ,in this section1 the term qualified elementary and secondary education expenses1 when used with respect to a child1 means any of the following3 7#a7 ,expenses within the budget of the local educational agency having jurisdiction over the geographic area in which the child resides4 7#b7 ,expenses within the budget of the public or charter school the child may attend without paying tuition or fees4 7#c7 ,tuition and fees required to be paid in order for the child to attend a public or charter school in the ,state in which the child resides4 7#d7 ,tuition and fees required to be paid in order for the child to attend an accredited or otherwise ,state-approved private school in the ,state in which the child resides4 7#e7 ,fees required to be paid for the child to participate in a ,state-approved supplemental educational services program4 #aaac4 ,rules of construction 7a7 ,in general ,no officer or employee of the ,federal ,government shall1 through grants1 contracts1 or other cooperative agreements1 mandate1 direct1 or control a ,state1 local educational agency1 or school's specific instructional content1 academic standards and assessments1 curricula1 or program of instruction 7including any requirement1 direction1 or mandate to adopt the ,common ,core ,state ,standards developed under the ,common ,core ,state ,standards ,initiative1 any other academic standards common to a significant number of ,states1 or any assessment1 instructional content1 or curriculum aligned to such standards71 nor shall anything in this ,act be construed to authorize such officer or employee to do so4 7b7 ,no requirement ,to implement assessments1 standards1 or accountability systems ,an officer or employee of the ,federal ,government shall not require a ,state educational agency1 local educational agency1 school1 or ,indian ,tribe to implement an annual assessment1 academic standard1 or accountability system1 or condition funds made available under this part upon such implementation4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendments 7#a7 ,repeal of ,state assessment grants ,part ,b of title ,i of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #abja et seq47 is repealed4 7#b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,section #ajjb of such ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #fcjb7 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking the subsection heading for subsection 7a7 and inserting ,state educational agency grants for eligible children2 and 7,b7 by striking subsection 7b74