PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

Accelerated Learning Act of 2015

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 25, 2015

Accelerated Learning Act of 2015

Directs the Secretary of Education to allot grants to states, based on their share of low-income elementary and secondary school students, to cover part or all of the Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) examination fee low-income students incur.

Directs the Secretary to award renewable competitive matching grants to states, local educational agencies (LEAs), or partnerships between a nonprofit organization and a state or LEA for activities that increase: (1) the number of qualified teachers at high-need schools who are teaching AP or IB courses, (2) the number of AP or IB courses offered at high-need schools, and (3) the number of students at high-need schools who enroll and succeed in such courses.

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

Gives priority, in awarding the competitive grants, to applicants that: (1) have a state-wide or district-wide strategy for increasing the availability of AP or IB courses, and pre-AP or pre-IB courses, in high-need schools; (2) focus on increasing AP or IB courses in the core academic subjects; and (3) target high-need schools.

Defines a "high-need school" as a secondary school that has a demonstrated need for Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses and that: (1) has a high concentration of low-income students; or (2) is designated with a school locale code of 41, 42, or 43.

Directs the Secretary, through the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, to evaluate the implementation and impact of the activities supported by the competitive grant program.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN] · D–MN

Committees

  • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

    Actions

    A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

    1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

    2. Introduced in Senate

    Bill text & related measures

    Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

    Related bills identified by Congress.gov

    No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

    Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

    Explore the bill from different angles

    Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

    Neutral evidence review

    Objective

    Analyze S.557 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

    View full prompt & sources
    Fairness and public impact

    Progressive lens

    Examine S.557 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

    View full prompt & sources
    Institutions and government scope

    Conservative lens

    Examine S.557 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

    View full prompt & sources
    Individual rights and government power

    Liberty lens

    Examine S.557 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

    View full prompt & sources