YourVoice.Now Summary
Workers & JobsTransparency & AccountabilitySchools that serve summer lunch could keep their libraries open for summer reading — $5 million a year through 2031.
Workers & Jobs
Districts could use the money to hire and train library staff to teach the summer reading programs. Each program would run at least six weeks.
Transparency & Accountability
The money is authorized only for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. Congress would have to pass something new to keep the grants going after that.
More about this bill
If your child eats summer lunch at school, that school's library could stay open too. Some schools would run a summer reading program of at least six weeks, with library time and learning activities. Only some schools could take part. The school must serve summer meals. At least half of its youngest students must read below grade level, or be at risk of it. States would compete for the money, then pass it to school districts that apply. The program is small: $5 million a year for the whole country, from 2027 through 2031.
Congressional Summary
Summer Meals and Learning Act of 2026 This bill establishes a grant program to support summer early reading programs held at schools with a summer lunch site.Specifically, the Department of Education must use funds provided for the program to award competitive grants to state library administrative agencies to enable them to award subgrants to eligible local educational agencies for summer early reading programs held at schools with a summer lunch site.The program is open to local educational agencies that include schools where at least 50% of the students in prekindergarten through grade 3 are (1) reading below grade level at grade 3, or (2) at risk of reading below grade level at grade 3.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-08-06
- Date Added
- 2026-08-26
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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