Access to School Supplies Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
Introduced
Summary
A free school supplies pilot program that would fund local school districts to provide classroom books and materials at no cost to students and instructional staff. The pilot prioritizes high-poverty schools and includes set-asides for outlying areas and Bureau of Indian Education schools.
Show full summary
- Students and families: Students and families in high-poverty schools would get essential classroom supplies at no cost. The program targets schools in the top two quartiles of low-income share in each State.
- Instructional staff and local districts: Teachers, paraprofessionals, librarians, and other instructional staff would receive supplies paid by grants. Grants would be awarded competitively to up to 10 local educational agencies per year and administrative costs would be capped at 2%.
- Outlying areas and BIE schools: American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands would receive a 0.5% reserve of annual funds and Bureau of Indian Education schools would receive a separate 0.5% set-aside. Those entities would not need to submit an application to receive their reserved funds.
*It would authorize $100 million per year for FY2027–2031, increasing federal spending by $500 million over that five-year period.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Pilot school supply grants for districts
If enacted, the bill would create a five-year pilot grant program run by the Education Department. The Department would award grants each year to no more than 10 local school districts to buy classroom supplies for students and instructional staff. Congress authorized $100,000,000 for each year 2027 through 2031, and no grants could be awarded after September 30, 2031. Grants would be competitive, prioritized for highest-need districts, limited to 2% for administration, and must supplement, not replace, local funds.
Reserved funds for outlying and BIE schools
If enacted, the bill would reserve 0.5% of each year's program funds for outlying U.S. territories and 0.5% for the Secretary of the Interior for Bureau of Indian Education schools. Those reserved amounts would be distributed based on relative need. Outlying areas and BIE-operated or -funded schools would not have to apply under the competitive grant process to receive their reserved share.
Who qualifies for supplies help
If enacted, the bill would define who and what the pilot covers. A "high-poverty school" would be a public school in the highest two state quartiles by share of low-income students. "Instructional staff" would include at least teachers, paraprofessionals, and librarians; outlying areas would be American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A "qualified local educational agency" would be an LEA that serves one or more high-poverty schools and assures funds will be used only for those schools.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
MA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
OR • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]
NC • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]
FL • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
MO • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
TX • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11]
OH • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov