H.R. 939 — Student Empowerment Act

This section revises the treatment of elementary and secondary education expenses under 529 plans (i.e., tax-advantaged savings plans for qualified higher education expenses) by expanding qualified higher education expenses to include the following for enrollment or attendance at public, private, religious schools, or homeschools (previously limited to tuition not exceeding $10,000 per beneficiary per taxable year): (1) tuition; (2) curriculum and curricular materials; (3) books or other instructional materials; (4) online educational materials; (5) tuition for tutoring or educational classes outside the home by a qualified, unrelated tutor or instructor; (6) fees for nationally standardized norm-referenced achievement tests, advanced placement examinations, or college admission examinations; (7) fees for dual enrollment in an institution of higher education; and (8) educational therapies for students with disabilities provided by licensed or accredited practitioners (e.g., occupational, behavioral, physical, speech-language therapies). The changes apply to distributions made after the date of enactment.