Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2026

Title I would authorize $20 billion each year from 2027 through 2031. States would pass it to school districts as competitive grants, and unspent money stays usable through 2036.

Only districts that already get federal Title I poverty aid could apply. Grade and middle schools where 40% of students get free or reduced-price lunch move to the front, and high schools need 30%.

Title V would authorize $100 million each year from 2027 through 2031 for Impact Aid construction. That money goes to districts serving military families and federal land, which collect little property tax.

Projects paid for with the school bonds fall under federal wage rules. Contractors must pay at least the local standard rate for each building trade.

The bill would create school infrastructure bonds, capped at $10 billion a year for 2027, 2028, and 2029. Whoever holds one gets a federal tax credit equal to all the interest, so the district borrows without paying interest.

Iron, steel, and factory-made goods used in these projects must be made in the United States. The Education Secretary can waive that if American supply is short or costs jump more than 25%.

No money could go to charter school buildings run by a for-profit company. It also blocks money when the school rents its building from someone who helps run the school.

Any new building or major repair work paid for with this money must meet LEED, Green Globes, the Living Building Challenge, or a state program at least as strict. It must also meet current building, energy, and water codes.

Districts could spend the money removing lead, asbestos, mercury, radon, PCBs, and PFAS chemicals. They could also fix mold, clear out pests, and test drinking water at the tap.

Grant money could replace gas heating, hot water, and cooking equipment with electric versions. It could also pay for solar panels and battery storage at the school.

Each state would build a searchable public website listing every school's roof, plumbing, heating, and fire safety status. It would also show nearby toxic sites and any lead or PFAS found in the water.

Every district that takes a grant must publish what it built, what each project cost, and how many jobs it created. The Treasury must also name districts that qualified for bond money but got none.

The $20 billion a year is authorized only for 2027 through 2031, and leftover money must be used by 2036. The new bonds stop after 2029, though the older bond program has no end date.

Title VI would create a program only for schools whose concrete foundations are crumbling because of pyrrhotite, an iron mineral found in some concrete. It has no spending limit, and districts can be paid back for repairs made in the five years before the law passed.