H.R. 5308 — Service Starts At Home Act

This section directs the Secretary to carry out a competitive grant program, to be implemented not later than one year after enactment, under which the Secretary awards grants to eligible entities to support paid internships in units of local government for secondary school students and undergraduate students at institutions of higher education in the state. Grantees must identify internship opportunities, select students, determine pay and terms, cover costs, ensure educational value in coordination with institutions of higher education, and provide accommodations such as flexible schedules or telework for interns facing childcare needs or transportation challenges. The section authorizes $50 million for each of FY2026 through 2030.

This section establishes a scholarship program administered by the Secretary of Education (primarily through allocations to states, with up to 20% of funds reserved for a federal supplemental program) to award scholarships to students who complete specified hours of volunteer service work, authorizing $100 million annually for FY2026 through FY2030. Under the state program, allocations to states (proportional to public elementary and secondary school enrollment in states with approved applications) fund competitive scholarships of $1,000 to $3,000 per academic year (tiered by volunteer hours completed in the preceding school year or equivalent period: $1,000 for 100-137 hours; $1,500 for 138-174 hours; $2,000 for 175-212 hours; $2,500 for 213-249 hours; and $3,000 for 250+ hours). Eligible first-time applicants must be high school seniors or college students who completed at least 100 hours of volunteer service; renewal applicants (prioritized over first-time applicants) must be college students in good academic standing who completed at least 100 hours. Scholarships, renewable for up to four academic years subject to funds availability via a streamlined process, may be used solely for costs of attendance at institutions of higher education. From reserved funds, the Secretary awards competitive federal supplemental scholarships (amounts determined by the Secretary), prioritizing students without a state scholarship.

This section directs the Secretary to carry out a program to recognize elementary schools, secondary schools, local educational agencies, and institutions of higher education based on their overall volunteer achievement and contributions to community service.

This section defines terms for purposes of the Act, including— (1) elementary school, local educational agency, regular high school diploma, secondary school, Secretary, and State, as given in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801); (2) cost of attendance, as given in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll); (3) eligible entity as a State or unit of local government; (4) institution of higher education, as given in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001); and (5) unit of local government as a county, municipality, town, township, village, parish, borough, or other general-purpose political subdivision below the State level, or a governing body of an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization. This section further defines volunteer service work as unpaid acts conducted for or on behalf of a government or nonprofit organization (e.g., community-based, faith-based, school, national service program), excluding proselytizing, worship services, religious instruction, political lobbying, court-ordered service, or service primarily benefiting the family of a scholarship-eligible student.