Rep. Mike Levin Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Support Schools Serving Military and Tribal Communities
Legislation Would Fully Fund Impact Aid for First Time in Over 50 Years
Washington, D.C.— Today, Representatives Mike Levin (D-CA-49) and David Valadao (R-CA-22) reintroduced the bipartisan Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act, legislation to fully fund the federal Impact Aid program for the first time since 1969.
Impact Aid provides critical federal resources to public school districts whose local tax base is reduced by the presence of federal land, such as military installations and tribal lands. More than 1,100 districts serving over ten million students nationwide rely on this support to fund teachers, instructional materials, technology, staffing, and other educational needs.
This bipartisan bill creates a five-year plan to reach full funding by Fiscal Year 2031 across four main categories of funding. These include:
- Basic Support Payments: An increase of approximately $172 million annually, to compensate school districts for enrolling federally connected children such as military dependents and children living on tribal lands;
- Payments for Federal Property: An increase of approximately $33 million annually, to reimburse districts for land acquired by the federal government that no longer generates tax revenue;
- Children with Disabilities: An increase of $14 million annually, to help Impact Aid districts provide essential services for students with disabilities;
- Construction: An increase of $5 million annually, to support facility upgrades and repairs in districts with concentrations of military and tribal students.
Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE-02), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23), and Ed Case (D-HI-01) joined in reintroducing this legislation.
“Every child deserves high-quality education, no matter where they live or their parents work,” said Rep. Levin. “For too long, Congress has failed to fully fund Impact Aid, leaving schools in our district and across the country without the resources they need. I’m proud to partner with Rep. Valadao on this bipartisan bill to close this gap and deliver stronger support to students, teachers, and military families.”
“Public schools in the Central Valley and across the nation depend on local tax revenue, but districts with federal land face unique budget challenges,” said Congressman Valadao. “The Impact Aid Program helps level the playing field for thousands of students in CA-22 by making sure they have access to the same high-quality education as their peers, and I’m proud to join Rep. Levin in introducing this bipartisan bill to support our students and help close the funding gap.”
“Impact Aid is essential to the success of school districts located on or near federal lands. Because of the federal presence, these districts and the students they serve – whether connected to military installations, tribal lands, national parks, or other nontaxable federal property – have long been underfunded,” said National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS) Executive Director Cherise Imai. “The Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act is an important step toward meeting the federal government’s responsibility to these communities. With added resources, districts can upgrade facilities, expand academic and extracurricular programming, and strengthen educator support, ensuring every student has the opportunities they need to thrive.”
“Fully funding Impact Aid is essential to supporting the academic and personal success of military-connected students,” said Oceanside Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Julie Vitale. “The Advancing Towards Impact Aid Full Funding Act brings us closer to ensuring these students have equitable access to the resources they deserve. As a district that proudly serves a large population of military families, we see firsthand the unique challenges these students face. This legislation affirms our nation's commitment to honoring their service by investing in their children’s education.”
“We’re grateful to Representatives Levin and Valadao for leading on this important bipartisan bill,” said National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) CEO Ronn Nozoe. “Fully funding Impact Aid means schools in these communities won’t be left behind simply because they’re on federally tax-exempt land. This is about making sure every student has a fair shot at success.”
The Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act is endorsed by the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS), Blue Star Families, Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), National Rural Education Association (NREA), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), National Education Association (NEA), Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA), Federal Lands Impacted Schools Association (FLISA), Learning Opportunity Impacted Schools Association (LO-ISA), Military Impacted Schools Association (MISA), National Indian Impacted Schools Association (NIISA), and School Superintendents Association (AASA). This bill is also endorsed by Oceanside Unified School District, which has schools on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
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