,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #haej ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #a1 #bjbj,ms4 ,mucarsel-,powell 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,soto1 ,ms4 ,garcia of ,texas1 ,mrs4 ,mc,bath1 ,mr4 ,cisneros1 ,ms4 ,frankel1 ,mrs4 ,demings1 ,mr4 ,hastings1 ,ms4 ,wasserman ,schultz1 ,mr4 ,san ,nicolas1 ,mr4 ,thompson of ,mississippi1 and ,mrs4 ,hayes7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services to conduct a study with respect to safety precautions to prevent the spread of ,,covid-#ai in schools1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,safe ,considerations of the ,health ,of ,our ,learning ,students ,act or ,,schools ,act4 #b4 ,study on ,,covid-#ai safety precautions for schools 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services 7in this section referred to as the ,secretary71 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 shall conduct a study with respect to safety precautions to prevent the spread of ,,covid-#ai in schools4 7b7 ,content of study ,the study conducted under subsection 7a7 shall address each of the following3 7#a7 ,reopening criteria and best practices 7,a7 ,minimum criteria ,the minimum criteria that a community needs to meet with respect to the spread of ,,covid-#ai1 including the sufficiency of such criteria1 before opening schools for full-time and in-person instruction1 including-- 7i7 a decreasing positivity rate reported over a #bh-;day period that shall in no case exceed #e percent2 and 7ii7 a reproductive number over such #bh-;day period of less than #a4 7,b7 ,best practices ,best practices with respect to the criteria under subparagraph 7,a71 including with respect to-- 7i7 public health capacity to conduct testing and contract tracing in the community2 7ii7 surge capacity in hospitals2 and 7iii7 the amounts of personal protective equipment needed4 7#b7 ,crisis response personnel ,practices for crisis response personnel in schools1 including-- 7,a7 the designation of at least #a staff member 7or nurse who may not be a staff member7 to provide crisis response in each school2 7,b7 the metrics to be reported by such staff member2 7,c7 with respect to a school that has at least #b such staff members1 the composition of a team of such staff members2 and 7,d7 the actions such staff member should take to minimize the spread of ,,covid-#ai in schools 7including actions with respect to inclement weather74 7#c7 ,staffing ,recommended practices to increase the safety of staff and reduce the spread of ,,covid-#ai among staff1 including-- 7,a7 the use of common spaces1 such as break rooms2 7,b7 allowing staff to work remotely2 7,c7 the use of face coverings1 including-- 7i7 appropriate times for and exemptions to such use2 and 7ii7 appropriate spaces to suggest such use2 and 7,d7 health screenings and reporting of symptoms of ,,covid-#ai1 and any associated testing for ,,covid-#ai1 taking into account privacy protections4 7#d7 ,facility conditions ,recommended practices with respect to facility conditions1 including-- 7,a7 the minimum physical distancing to reduce the risk of spread between individuals in classrooms and common spaces1 including hallways2 7,b7 the appropriate ventilation and air flow2 7,c7 cleaning and disinfection of school supplies and common areas2 and 7,d7 the minimum physical distancing to reduce the risk of spread during physical education and recreation activities1 and the level of risk associated with any such physical education or recreation activity4 7#e7 ,transportation ,recommended practices to increase the safety of staff and students with respect to transporting students to and from schools1 including-- 7,a7 with respect to dropping students off at and picking students up from schools-- 7i7 conducting health screenings2 7ii7 implementing staggered schedules2 and 7iii7 physical distancing and hygiene practices2 and 7,b7 safety protocols with respect to the use of buses4 7#f7 ,organization of teaching and classes ,recommended practices with respect to the organization of teaching1 classes1 and other group settings1 including-- 7,a7 consistent and small cohort groups among students and teachers2 7,b7 rotating schedules or other alternate schedules2 and 7,c7 administering meal time4 7c7 ,recommendations ,not later than #fj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 submit to ,congress recommendations based on the results of the study under subsection 7a72 and 7#b7 update the recommendations under paragraph 7#a7 as necessary4 #c4 ,grant program to implement ,,cdc guidance relating to ,,covid-#ai 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary of ,education shall carry out a grant program to make grants to ,state educational agencies to carry out the activities described in subsection 7c74 7b7 ,application ,to be eligible to receive a grant under this section1 a ,state educational agency shall submit to the ,secretary an application not later than #b months after funds are first made available under subsection 7g77#a7 that includes-- 7#a7 a plan developed by the ,state educational agency to implement the guidance relating to health and safety measures with respect to ,,covid-#ai established by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 in local educational agencies1 elementary schools1 and secondary schools served by such ,state ,educational agency2 7#b7 an assurance that1 with respect to school year #bjbj-bjba1 the ,state educational agency will-- 7,a7 offer remote digital learning options to students such that the number of hours offered for remote digital learning is equal to or greater than the number of hours offered for in-person learning2 7,b7 not require a student who has an increased health risk 7as defined by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention7 or lives with a family member with an increased health risk to attend in-person learning2 7,c7 limit in-person meetings and conferences2 7,d7 group students in such a manner as to minimize the burden placed on teachers2 and 7,e7 provide guidance for teachers who have an increased health risk for instructing students remotely2 7#c7 a plan to-- 7,a7 close in-person learning in the case of a resurgence 7as defined by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention7 of ,,covid-#ai cases in the ,state2 7,b7 with respect to a school in which a student or staff member who attends such school in-person tests positive for ,,covid-#ai1 close such school until it is safe for students and staff to return2 and 7,c7 notify each student and staff member who may have come in to contact with a student or staff member described in subparagraph 7,b7 of the potential exposure to ,,covid-#ai2 and 7#d7 such other information as the ,secretary may require4 7c7 ,use of funds 7#a7 ,in general ,a ,state educational agency that receives a grant under this section may only use such grant-- 7,a7 to carry out such activities as are necessary to implement the guidance described in subsection 7b77#a71 as determined by the ,secretary2 and 7,b7 to-- 7i7 conduct teacher training on public safety protocols2 7ii7 establish or expand digital education programs2 7iii7 carry out teacher professional development for digital learning2 7iv7 establish or expand summer learning1 weekend instruction1 or expanded school years to supplement instruction2 7v7 hire substitute teachers1 including substitute teachers for teachers who are medically vulnerable2 7vi7 provide paid sick and family leave for all staff1 including substitute teachers and contract workers2 7vii7 establish or expand mental health support services1 including by hiring staff and other personnel to meet the social1 emotional1 and mental health needs of students2 7viii7 purchase school supplies needed for student and staff health safety1 including personal protective equipment1 sanitation supplies1 and equipment necessary for temperature checks of students and staff2 7ix7 purchase other school supplies 7including books and laptops7 for students2 or 7x7 purchase equipment needed for physical distancing and digital learning4 7#b7 ,administrative expenses ,a ,state educational agency may use not more than #e percent of any grant received under this section for administrative expenses related to carrying out the activities described in paragraph 7#a74 7d7 ,department report ,not later than #cj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and every #cj days thereafter until the last day of school year #bjbj-bjba1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report that includes-- 7#a7 the number and amount of grants made under this section2 and 7#b7 with respect to each ,state1 the number of students and faculty members in each such ,state who test positive for ,,covid-#ai4 7e7 ,rules of construction 7#a7 ,employee rights ,nothing in this section shall be construed to alter or otherwise affect the rights1 remedies1 and procedures afforded to school or local education agency employees under ,federal1 ,state1 or local laws 7including applicable regulations or court orders7 or under the terms of collective bargaining agreements1 memoranda of understanding1 or other agreements between such employers and their employees4 7#b7 ,immigration status ,nothing in this section shall be construed to limit any student1 the ,state educational agency and local educational agency serving such student1 or the elementary school or secondary school in which a student is enrolled from receiving funds pursuant to this section based on the immigration status of such student4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,,esea terms ,the terms elementary school1 local educational agency1 secondary school1 ,secretary1 and ,state educational agency have the meanings given such terms in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja et seq474 7#b7 ,student ,the term student means a student who attends a public elementary school or public secondary school4 7g7 ,funding 7#a7 ,in general ,of the amounts made available to the ,department of ,education--,education ,stabilization ,fund under ,public ,law #aaf-acf1 the ,secretary shall use #cjj1jjj1jjj1jjj to carry out grants under this section for fiscal year #bjbj4 7#b7 ,no funding to private schools ,none of the funds made available under paragraph 7#a7 may be used to-- 7,a7 provide funding to a private elementary school or private secondary school2 or 7,b7 establish vouchers for students to attend a school described in subparagraph 7,a74