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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 28, 2007
Empowering Parents Through Choice Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require local educational agencies (LEAs) to provide students with Promise Scholarships, covering the cost of attending private elementary or secondary schools chosen by their parents, if their schools are subject to restructuring for failing to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) pursuant to state academic performance standards.
Requires: (1) each scholarship to remain in effect until the student completes the grade that is the last grade taught at the school from which the student transfers; and (2) such students to be assessed in reading, language arts, mathematics, and science at the same grade levels as public school students to determine if the schools and LEAs are making AYP.
Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states, LEAs, or nonprofit organizations to support projects that enable students from low-income families that have been attending schools subject to restructuring, as well as their siblings, to receive: (1) Opportunity Scholarships to attend the private elementary or secondary school of their parents' choice or a public school of their parents' choice outside their school district, if allowed by state law; and (2) intensive, sustained supplemental educational services on an annual basis.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Requires grantees to: (1) continue each scholarship until the student completes the grade that is the last grade taught at the school from which the student transferred, or the student's family income exceeds a specified poverty level higher than the level required for initial eligibility; and (2) fund the scholarships before funding supplemental educational services.
People & committees
Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN] · R–TN
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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