Description:
H.R. 2639 would authorize the appropriation of whatever amounts are necessary through 2025 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 2026 under the General Education Provisions Act. Because of the program’s similarities to the grant program called Opening Doors, Expanding Opportunities, which provided $12 million for similar purposes in fiscal year 2017, CBO estimates the bill would authorize the appropriation of $12 million in fiscal year 2020. After accounting for anticipated inflation, CBO estimates that amount would be $14 million in 2026. Based on historical spending patterns of similar programs, and assuming appropriation of the estimated amounts, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2639 would cost $48 million over the 2019-2024 period and $89 million over the 2019-2029 period. The estimated budgetary effect of H.R. 2639 is shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall within budget function 500 (education, training, employment, and social services).
