This legislation, titled the "Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2026," establishes a comprehensive framework for the long-term improvement of public school facilities across the United States. It primarily achieves this through a federal grant program and the restoration and expansion of school infrastructure bond initiatives. The bill aims to address critical needs in school buildings, focusing on student and staff health, safety, and modern learning environments.

Title I authorizes $20 billion annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for grants to states, with a portion reserved for outlying areas and Bureau-funded schools. States receive allocations based on their share of Title I-A funds and must submit plans detailing how they will use the funds, provide technical assistance, and maintain a publicly searchable database of school facility infrastructure. This database must include detailed information on facility age, systems, proximity to toxic sites, and needs for social distancing, energy, and water efficiency.

States are required to establish regulations for health and safety during construction, ensure safe and high-performing school buildings, create plans to reduce toxic substance exposure, and increase the number of net-zero energy schools. A 10 percent non-Federal matching requirement applies to state allocations, which can be waived for larger appropriations, and states must maintain their proportional investment in school facilities capital outlay.

States will award competitive, need-based grants to qualified local educational agencies (LEAs) that serve high numbers or percentages of low-income students and have limited fundraising capacity. Priority is given to LEAs addressing severe health and safety threats or improving digital learning access. Grant applications must detail proposed projects, their impact on health, safety, learning, equity, and energy efficiency, and plans to engage small, minority, veteran, and women-owned businesses.

Recipient LEAs must develop a comprehensive 10-year facilities master plan, outlining the physical condition, health, safety, and environmental aspects of their facilities, including indoor air quality, toxic substances, and drinking water safety. This plan must also address enrollment impacts and funding for capital and maintenance, requiring consultation with various stakeholders including teachers, parents, and community residents.

Title II restores and expands the Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB) program, increasing the annual allocation to $1.4 billion for 2027 and beyond, and removes the private business contribution requirement. It also introduces new School Infrastructure Bonds (SIBs), providing a national limitation of $10 billion annually for fiscal years 2027-2029. These bonds are allocated to states based on Title I-A funding and then to LEAs based on similar need and eligibility criteria as the grant program, with a portion reserved for Indian schools and digital learning initiatives. Projects funded by both QZABs and SIBs are subject to prevailing wage requirements under the Davis-Bacon Act.

Title III outlines allowable uses of funds, including construction, modernization, major repairs, decarbonization, improving energy and water efficiency, enhancing indoor air quality, and reducing toxic substances like lead and asbestos. Funds can also be used for ADA compliance, instructional program space improvements, increasing student diversity, and community partnerships. Prohibited uses include routine maintenance, athletic facilities, vehicles, and central offices not primarily used for education, with specific restrictions for charter schools operated by for-profit entities.

All new construction or renovation projects must meet or exceed the most recent nationally recognized building and energy conservation codes, WaterSense criteria, and indoor air quality standards. Projects must also adhere to recognized green building standards such as LEED or the Living Building Challenge, and incorporate American-produced iron, steel, and manufactured products, with waiver provisions for certain circumstances.

Title IV mandates various reports, including a Comptroller General report on project impact and accessibility of funds, and a recurring study by the Secretary of Education on the physical condition of public schools. It also establishes an Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability within the Department of Education to advise the Secretary and coordinate with other federal agencies. Additionally, it directs the Secretary to develop data standards for state facility inventories and create an information clearinghouse for federal financing mechanisms related to energy efficiency projects.

Title V temporarily increases the authorization for Impact Aid construction to $100 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. Finally, Title VI provides dedicated assistance for the repair of school foundations affected by pyrrhotite, offering federal allocations to states for grants to LEAs to cover future repair costs or reimburse for past repairs, with a federal share of up to 50 percent and a state share of at least 40 percent.