Learn and Serve America Reinvestment Act

Key Points

• This bill provides $40 million in guaranteed funding every year starting in 2026 for the Learn and Serve America program. This program helps students participate in service-learning projects, which combine classroom lessons with community service to help them learn through hands-on experience.
• The policy expands who can apply for these grants to include local school districts and groups of school districts. Previously, the program focused more on state-level agencies, but this change allows local schools to get involved and receive funding more directly.
• The money is split between different types of programs. About 20 percent goes to school-based service projects, while 80 percent is dedicated to community-based programs and higher education service initiatives.
• The bill also pays for at least 10 new full-time staff members at the federal agency that runs the program. These employees will help with planning, program design, and updating the technology used to manage the grants.
• A small portion of the funding, between 2 percent and 3 percent, is specifically set aside for programs serving Native American communities through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This ensures that tribal schools and students have dedicated resources for service projects.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.