SIGNED INTO LAW: Senators Collins, Bennet Bipartisan Bill to Allow Early Childhood Educators to Deduct Out-of-Pocket Purchases of Classroom Supplies

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Michael Bennet today celebrated their Supporting Early-Childhood Educators’ Deductions (SEED) Act being signed into law . This legislation expands the federal tax deduction for out-of-pocket classroom supply purchases that Senator Collins authored to early childhood educators. “In Maine and across the country, we are fortunate to have so many dedicated educators who work hard to ensure that every child has a learning environment that is safe, welcoming, and enriching. Despite tight personal budgets, it is truly remarkable how often teachers use money out of their own pockets to purchase classroom supplies for their students,” said Senator Collins. “As the author of the original tax credit for K-12 teachers, I am delighted to help expand this benefit to pre-K educators. I thank Senator Bennet for his partnership in this effort to provide early childhood educators with well-deserved tax relief, and I am proud that our bill has now become law.” “Early childhood educators should be able to claim the same tax deduction available to elementary and secondary school teachers,” said Senator Bennet. “I am glad that this legislation has been signed into law because as the former Superintendent of Denver Public Schools, I know firsthand how often educators dip into their own pockets to provide school supplies for their students. This law will end an unfair double standard and ensures that those who teach our youngest kids are supported.” Research shows that educators spend an average of $895 annually on supplies for their students. Yet, early childhood educators previously could not deduct those out-of-pocket expenses. The SEED Act corrects this disparity and extends tax relief to the teachers working with America’s youngest learners. The bill expands the above-the-line $350 educator expense deduction, established for K-12 teachers in 2002 by legislation authored by Senator Collins, to also include pre-K and early childhood educators. This deduction helps offset hundreds of dollars teachers spend out of their own pockets each year on classroom supplies, books, and other learning materials. The SEED Act is supported by a broad coalition of education and child advocacy organizations, including the First Five Years Fund, Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC), the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Save the Children, the Center for American Progress, the American Federation of Teachers, Teach For America, and Trying Together. “We are deeply grateful to Senators Collins and Bennet, and Representatives Fitzpatrick, Panetta, Valadao and Goodlander, and the bipartisan lawmakers in both chambers who championed the SEED Act and helped get it across the finish line,” said Sarah Rittling, Executive Director of First Five Years Fund (FFYF) . “We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to advance bipartisan solutions that strengthen child care for families, educators, and communities across the country.” “Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC) strongly supports the bipartisan Supporting Early-Childhood Educators’ Deductions (SEED) Act. Early childhood educators support children’s development and learning during their most formative years while enabling parents to participate in the workforce and helping our businesses and communities thrive. Yet these essential professionals, who already earn modest wages, too often pay out of pocket for the books, supplies and materials children need,” said Nicole Riehl, President and CEO, Executives Partnering to Invest in Children . “Extending the federal educator expense deduction to early childhood educators is a commonsense step that recognizes their invaluable work and strengthens the workforce of today while investing in the workforce of tomorrow. EPIC thanks Senator Michael Bennet and Senator Susan Collins, along with their bipartisan House partners, for championing this important legislation.” “NAEYC applauds the bipartisan passage of the Supporting Early Childhood Educators’ Deductions Act, which reimburses early childhood educators for the out-of-pocket classroom expenses they take on to improve children’s learning environments, as K-12 educators have long been able to do,” said the National Association for the Education of Young Children . “We are grateful that Congress is taking a step to recognize the complex, skilled, professional work of early childhood educators which lays the foundation for the youngest children to thrive. We look forward to building on this effort to support the early childhood education workforce by continuing to push for needed investments in quality ECE and compensation for early childhood educators working in all settings.” “The earliest years of a child’s life are among the most important for their development, and early childhood educators play a critical role during those years. Yet too often, these educators reach into their own pockets to buy the books, supplies, and materials they need to support the children in their classrooms,” said Allison Dembeck, Head of Policy, Save the Children . “We are pleased to see the bipartisan SEED Act become law, giving early childhood educators access to the same tax deduction already available to K-12 teachers. This is a meaningful and long-overdue recognition of the educators who care for and teach our youngest children, and an investment in children and their futures.” The complete text of this legislation can be read here . ###