State responsibilities

(a) Maintenance of equity Subpart 2 of part F of title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 8549D. Maintenance of equity (a) High-Need local educational agencies As a condition of receiving funds under part A of title I, a State educational agency shall not, in fiscal year 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, or 2031, reduce State funding (as calculated on a per-pupil basis) for any high-need local educational agency in the State by an amount that exceeds the overall per-pupil reduction in State funds, if any, across all local educational agencies in such State in such fiscal year. (b) Highest poverty local educational agencies Notwithstanding paragraph (1), as a condition of receiving funds under part A of title I, a State educational agency shall not, in fiscal year 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, or 2031, reduce State funding (as calculated on a per-pupil basis) for any highest poverty local educational agency below the level of funding (as calculated on a per-pupil basis) provided to each such local educational agency in fiscal year 2025. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) High-need local educational agency The term high-need local educational agency has the meaning given the term in section 200 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021). (2) Highest poverty local educational agency The term highest poverty local educational agency has the meaning given the term in section 2004 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117–2).. (b) Other plan provisions Section 1111(g)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(g)(1)) is amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (G) as subparagraphs (E) through (H), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following: (D) the steps the State educational agency will take to ensure local educational agencies are spending funds equitably, with higher-need schools receiving proportionally greater funding, including taking corrective actions as necessary to ensure equitable spending;.