S. 4028 — Open Books, Open Doors Act

This section states congressional findings on declining reading proficiency among U.S. students and adults (e.g., fourth- and eighth-grade NAEP scores lower than 2019 levels; 43 million adults, or 1 in 5, unable to read well enough for a basic job), its consequences (e.g., 1 in 6 non-proficient third graders fail to graduate high school on time; 85% of juvenile offenders are low literate; only 2% of 17- to 21-year-olds qualify for military service without waivers), disparities in book access (e.g., 45% of children lack books at home, in neighborhoods, or stores), and economic effects (e.g., low literacy costs over $300 billion annually; $1 invested in early literacy yields $4 to $16 in benefits).

This section establishes definitions for terms used in the Act, incorporating the meanings of local educational agency and State educational agency from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. It defines book desert as a geographic area (e.g., census tract or ZIP code) with limited access to books meeting one or more criteria such as fewer than 1 book per 300 children under 18 years of age, no public library or bookstore within a 1-mile urban or 10-mile rural radius, or 40% of households with children lacking reading materials at home; evidence-based literacy program as a research-proven intervention grounded in the science of reading that improves literacy outcomes; family literacy as intensive services integrating parent-child activities, parent training for economic self-sufficiency, and developmentally appropriate child education; qualified applicant as certain governmental entities, educational agencies, libraries, or nonprofits with at least one year promoting literacy for infants through young adults; qualified literacy materials as developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant print or digital content (e.g., storybooks, e-books, braille) supporting literacy development; and Secretary as the Secretary of Education.

This section establishes the Open Books, Open Doors Grant Program, under which the Secretary awards competitive grants to qualified applicants to promote child literacy. The Secretary allocates appropriated funds as follows: (1) not less than 70% to applicants in or serving book deserts (i.e., communities with limited children's book access) that collaborate with entities such as barbershops, houses of worship, WIC local agencies, laundromats, or independent bookstores; (2) 15% for early screening, intervention, and educator training on learning disabilities such as dyslexia, complementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and prioritizing high-need areas; (3) not less than 8% to develop, pilot, or scale literacy strategies, with at least 25% each to small/community-based organizations or family literacy programs, and requires evaluation and dissemination of results; (4) not more than 5% for technical assistance; (5) not more than 3% for public engagement campaigns, including for non-English languages or immigrant communities; and (6) not more than 3% for disaster-impacted areas. Grant applications must describe community needs, partnerships for fundraising and donations, outreach to underserved groups, sustainability plans, local business support, and evidence-based programs. Grantees must use funds for activities such as establishing literacy centers or book banks, purchasing and distributing books, promoting reading programs, waiving library fees, hosting events, or implementing dyslexia screening and training.

This section requires the Secretary to submit to the Senate Committees on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and Appropriations and the House Committees on Education and the Workforce and Appropriations, not later than two years after enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, a report on each grantee that includes (1) the number of students served through grant activities and relevant demographics (socioeconomic status, race, age, and disability status) by participating grade; (2) state assessment data or other validated literacy engagement scales, provided biannually, for supported local educational agencies; (3) teacher and parent survey responses measuring the impact of increased book access on children's reading enthusiasm and confidence; and (4) the number of books per child before and after the program and the number of participating caregivers.

This section directs the Secretary to coordinate with specified federal agencies—including the Corporation for National and Community Service, Food and Nutrition Service, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Labor, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Federal Communications Commission, Institute of Museum and Library Services, and National Endowment for the Humanities—to implement the grant program under this Act. Such coordination includes (1) aligning literacy efforts with existing federal early childhood, education, health, and community development programs; (2) sharing data and best practices to identify areas of greatest need; (3) ensuring consistent messaging and outreach; (4) encouraging joint applications and cross-sector partnerships; and (5) identifying opportunities for co-location or integration of literacy services. The section further establishes an interagency working group, to be convened not later than 180 days after enactment, that meets at least twice annually; submits biennial reports to Congress on shared initiatives, challenges, and recommendations; and develops a national strategy to promote literacy among children from birth to age 5, school-aged children from kindergarten through 12th grade, and young adults.

This section directs the Secretary of Education, in coordination with Federal agencies listed in section 6(a), to establish a Federal Clearinghouse on Book Access. The Clearinghouse must (1) identify, collect, and evaluate evidence-based strategies, programs, and interventions to improve children's access to qualified literacy materials and literacy outcomes in book deserts (i.e., areas with limited book access); and (2) provide guidance, toolkits, and technical resources to states, local educational agencies, health professionals, libraries, and nonprofit organizations seeking to expand book access in such areas. These resources must include, to the extent practicable, (1) evidence strength; (2) populations served and their locations (e.g., urban, suburban, rural); (3) implementation models (e.g., school-based, library-based); (4) cost considerations; (5) demonstrated literacy outcomes; (6) findings from prior Federal or state commissions; and (7) other supportive evidence developed in consultation with listed agencies. The Clearinghouse's activities must be consistent with specified Federal civil rights laws (i.e., title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964); developed through consultations with literacy experts, researchers, state and local educational agencies, early childhood providers, community groups, libraries, health providers, educators, and administrators; supported by appropriate personnel, resources, and agency details; and informed by ongoing data analytics, user feedback, and evaluations. The Secretary may produce and publish training materials for early childhood, educational, health care, law enforcement, and workforce agencies. This section states that state educational agencies and local educational agencies are not required to adopt the Clearinghouse's strategies, programs, or interventions.

This section authorizes appropriations of $100 million for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to carry out the Act. The section further permits the Secretary to request supplemental appropriations based on demand for literacy services.