Bill · S. 4504· Senate(119-S-4504)
Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 5/12/2026
- Last activity
- 5/12/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Sponsored by
- Chris Van Hollen
- Cosponsors
- - 14 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026 aims to improve and grow the full-service community school program. It authorizes specific funding from fiscal year 2027 through 2031 to provide planning, implementation, and expansion grants. The bill defines "pillars of community schools," which include integrated student supports, enriched learning time, and active community engagement. It establishes roles for community school coordinators and leadership teams to oversee these efforts. The act targets public schools with high poverty rates or those identified as needing additional support.
Yes· 3 of 38
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+10
Specifically targets schools with high poverty rates and provides essential integrated services.
Would students be better off under this?+10
Increases academic support, health services, and extracurricular opportunities.
Would children be better off under this?+9
Directly improves educational and health outcomes for school-aged children.
The opposite· 3 of 4
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-5
Increases government expenditures for educational grants.
Does this give people more control over their personal data?-3
Requires data-sharing agreements for student data, which may increase privacy risks.
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?-2
Mandates student data sharing between agencies and partners.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Increased Funding for Schools: The bill authorizes appropriations ranging from $500 million in 2027 to $1 billion by 2031 to support community schools (SEC. 2(a)).
- Comprehensive Student Supports: It provides for integrated services such as medical, dental, vision, and mental health care, as well as help with housing stability and nutrition (SEC. 2(b)(6)(A)).
- Expanded Learning Opportunities: Students may benefit from before- and after-school programs, summer learning, and workforce development activities like internships and technical education (SEC. 2(b)(6)(B) and SEC. 2(c)(4)(F)).
- Family and Community Resources: The bill allows schools to serve as hubs for adult education, English as a second language classes, and citizenship preparation (SEC. 2(b)(6)(C)).
- Support for High-Need Groups: Priority for grants is given to high-need local educational agencies, rural areas, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations (SEC. 2(c)(a)(3)).
- Inclusive Leadership: The bill requires leadership teams to include parents, students, and community members, ensuring diverse voices have a say in school decisions (SEC. 2(b)(3) and SEC. 2(b)(11)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Competitive Grant Process: Because funding is awarded on a competitive basis, many eligible entities or schools may not receive the funds despite meeting the eligibility criteria (SEC. 2(c)(a)(1)).
- Data Sharing Requirements: The bill requires data-sharing agreements between educational agencies and partner entities to track student data, which may raise privacy concerns (SEC. 2(b)(1)(H) and SEC. 2(c)(c)(C)).
- Administrative Burden: Eligible entities must complete extensive applications and detailed planning reports to qualify for and maintain grants (SEC. 2(b)(1) and SEC. 2(b)(2)(C)).
- Limited Funding for Expansion: For fiscal years 2027 through 2029, funds for expansion grants are capped at 20 percent of the total amount available under that paragraph, limiting growth potential (SEC. 2(c)(a)(1)(A)(iii)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+10Good For Students+10Good For Children+9Good For Native Americans+9Good For Immigrants+8Good For African Americans+7Good For Hispanic Americans+7Good For Rural Residents+7Good For Urban Residents+7Good For People With Disabilities+6Good For Young Adults+6Good For Asian Americans+5Good For L G B T Q Community+5Good For Women+5Good For Men+4Good For Middle Aged+4Good For Union Workers+3Good For White Americans+3Good For Middle Class Households+2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+7Improves Affordable Housing+6Improves Racial Equity+6Reduces Homelessness+6Improves Childcare Affordability+5Improves Disability Rights+4Improves Pathway To Citizenship+4Improves Gender Equality+2Improves L G B T Q Rights+2
- Healthcare
- Improves Mental Health Access+8Improves Healthcare Access+7
- Education And Technology
- Increases Public School Funding+9Improves Internet Access+4Improves College Affordability+3Improves Data Privacy-3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+5Increases Federal Power+3Improves Privacy Rights-2
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+5
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+3Improves Economic Growth+2Reduces Government Spending-5Reduces National Debt-2
- 9/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/12/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 13 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Angela AlsobrooksDemocrat · Maryland
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
John FettermanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Martin HeinrichDemocrat · New Mexico
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon