Access to School Supplies Act

Summary#

This bill would create a pilot program at the Department of Education to give competitive grants to local school districts (called qualified local educational agencies) so those districts can buy school supplies to give to students and instructional staff at no cost. A qualified local educational agency must serve one or more high-poverty schools and promise to use the grant money only for those schools. The Secretary would make grants to not more than 10 qualified local educational agencies each year, prioritizing agencies with the highest need and aiming for geographic diversity (urban, suburban, rural). The bill defines school supplies as books, supplies, and supplementary materials used in classrooms (including virtual and in-person). Districts may contract with outside entities to buy supplies. Districts may use up to 2 percent of a grant for administrative costs.

The bill reserves one-half of 1 percent of total annual appropriations for the outlying areas (American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands) and one-half of 1 percent for the Secretary of the Interior for Bureau of Indian Education schools. Recipients must submit annual reports with school-by-school lists of supplies bought, amounts spent, and numbers of students and instructional staff served. The pilot ends so that no grants can be awarded after September 30, 2031.

What it means for you#

• Students and teachers in schools served by grant-winning districts could receive needed classroom books and materials at no cost.
• Local educational agencies that serve high-poverty schools can apply for competitive grants and must describe school needs and how they will distribute supplies.
• Schools will have to track and report which supplies were given, how much was spent at each school, and how many students and staff received supplies.
• Districts may hire outside vendors to buy and deliver supplies, but may only keep up to 2% of the grant for administration.

Expenses#

• The bill authorizes $100,000,000 for each fiscal year 2027 through 2031 to carry out the program.
• From each year’s total, 0.5% is reserved for the outlying areas and 0.5% is reserved for activities in schools operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Education.
• Grants are awarded annually on a competitive basis to up to 10 qualified local educational agencies.
• A qualified local educational agency may reserve up to 2% of its grant for administrative costs.
• No publicly available information on specific grant award amounts per district beyond the authorization and reservation rules in the bill.

Proponents' View#

The bill’s stated purpose is to test whether grants to local educational agencies can (1) provide school supplies at no cost to students and instructional staff, (2) increase the number of students who have needed supplies for a stable learning environment, and (3) improve student academic achievement, especially for low-income students.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.