H.R. 729 would authorize the appropriation of whatever amounts are necessary through 2027 for the Department of Education to operate a grant program for eligible entities to develop or implement plans to improve diversity, and to reduce or eliminate racial or socioeconomic isolation in schools. That authorization would be extended through 2028 under the General Education Provisions Act.
In 2017, the Congress provided $12 million for a grant program called Opening Doors, Expanding Opportunities. The program in this bill is similar to that program and CBO used that previously appropriated amount as the basis for estimating the authorization level in H.R. 729. After accounting for anticipated inflation, CBO estimates that the authorization would increase to $13 million in 2026. Based on historical spending patterns of similar programs, and assuming appropriation of the estimated amounts, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 729 would cost $48 million over the 2022-2026 period.
The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 500 (education, training, employment, and social services).
