Access to School Supplies Act of 2026

A pilot grant program would help up to 10 high-poverty school districts a year buy free school supplies — not a tax break for parents.

More about this bill

A small number of high-poverty school districts could get grants to buy free school supplies for their students and teachers. This five-year pilot program is not a tax break for parents. The Department of Education could fund up to 10 districts a year, chosen from schools in the top half of their state for low-income students. Winning districts would buy books and classroom materials for students, teachers, paraprofessionals, and librarians to use. Congress would authorize up to $100 million a year from 2027 through 2031, though it would not guarantee that money is actually spent. Because only 10 districts could win each year, most families and teachers would see no change. Winning districts could keep up to 2 percent of their grant for their own costs. They must show the money adds to their budget, not replaces it. A small share, one-half of one percent each, would go to schools in Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The same share would go to schools run by the Bureau of Indian Education. No new grants could be awarded after September 30, 2031.