PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on HELP.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Oct 12, 1999
Educational Opportunities Act of 1999 - Title I: HELP Scholarships - Helping Empower Low-Income Parents (HELP) Scholarships Amendments of 1999 - Amends title VI (Innovative Education Program Strategies) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to allow any State that has enacted or will enact a law establishing a voluntary public and private school parental choice scholarship program in compliance with specified ESEA requirements to reserve an additional 15 percent from its annual title IV allotment for use exclusively for such parental choice programs. Requires State educational agencies (SEAs), except in the case of such programs, to distribute 90 percent (currently 85 percent) of title VI funds to local educational agencies (LEAs).(Sec. 105) Includes such parental choice programs among State and local uses of title VI funds.Requires such parental choice programs to be located in an empowerment zone or enterprise community.(Sec. 106) Directs the Comptroller General to make contracts for annual evaluation of each parental choice program.Provides that title VI funds to establish a parental choice program shall be considered assistance to the student and shall not be considered as assistance to any school that chooses to participate in such program.Prohibits the Secretary from exercising any direction, supervision, or control over curricula, program of instruction, administration, or personnel of any school that chooses to participate in a parental choice program.Title II: Education Tax Credit - Children's Education Tax Credit Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a tax credit (of up to $1,000) for the qualified educational expenses (tuition, attendance fees, books, supplies, equipment, but excluding meals and lodging) paid by a taxpayer for the education at an eligible zone educational institution of each individual with respect to whom the taxpayer is allowed a deduction as a dependent.(Sec. 202) Provides for: (1) the inclusion of certain home schooling expenses; and (2) adjustments for certain scholarships.Defines "eligible zone educational institution" as a secondary school, an elementary school, or any private, parochial, religious, or home school that: (1) provides elementary or secondary education; and (2) is located in an empowerment zone or enterprise community.
People & committees
Sen. Hutchinson, Tim [R-AR] · R–AR
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on HELP.
Introduced in Senate
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Source last updated: Feb 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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