Sponsor
Joseph Morelle
Representative · D-NY
Representative · D-NY
The bill directs modest federal funding and clearer rules to expand structured summer reading supports—particularly for low-income young children at summer meal sites—while creating eligibility gaps, administrative burdens, and ongoing federal costs that may leave some needy students and less-resourced LEAs without services.
Low-income and other pre-K–3 students at qualifying schools—especially those who attend summer meal/lunch sites—gain access to a structured summer early reading program (minimum six weeks) that can reduce summer learning loss and improve early literacy.
Schools, libraries, and community partners receive dedicated federal funding ($5 million per year, FY2027–FY2031) to run summer literacy initiatives and partnerships, making programs more financially feasible.
Clear statutory definitions of eligible LEAs and required annual reporting by state library agencies and LEAs improve implementation clarity, transparency, and the ability to target resources to high-need areas.
Some LEAs may be excluded from eligibility or funding if fewer than 50% of their pre-K–3 students meet the reading-risk threshold, leaving at-risk children in those districts without this summer support.
Tying program eligibility to schools that operate the summer food service program concentrates resources at existing meal sites and risks leaving out children who need help but attend schools not running summer meals.
The requirement that programs run at least six weeks may exclude schools or sites that lack staff, facilities, or capacity to operate a six-week program, limiting access for some students.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes competitive grants to State library agencies to fund six-week summer early reading programs at summer meal sites and funds $5M/year for FY2027–FY2031.
Official title: To create a new Federal grant program that provides grants to State libraries to allow schools with summer lunch programs to keep their libraries open for student use during the summer months.
Introduced August 6, 2026 by Joseph Morelle · Last progress August 6, 2026
Creates a competitive grant program to fund summer early reading programs held at school summer meal sites. The Department of Education would award grants to State library administrative agencies, which would subgrant to eligible local educational agencies to run at least six-week summer literacy programs tied to summer lunch sites. The law sets eligibility (schools where at least half of Pre-K–3 students are reading below or at risk by grade 3), requires applications and progress reporting, and authorizes $5 million per year for FY2027–FY2031 to carry out the program.