The Community of Madrid has decided to significantly enhance its commitment to free textbooks. For the academic year starting in September 2026, the Ministry of Education, Science, and Universities will allocate 53 million euros to the ACCEDE program. This figure represents a 34% increase compared to the previous investment, consolidating the initiative aimed at easing the financial burden on Madrid families at the start of the school year.
Currently, the ACCEDE program benefits approximately 520,000 students enrolled in publicly funded educational centers throughout the region. Thanks to this measure, families are spared the usual expense of purchasing school supplies, a cost that has become a recurring concern for many households.
For the upcoming academic year, the Ministry has informed the School Council and the management teams of schools and institutes about the educational levels that will have their textbooks updated. Specifically, materials for first, second, and third grade of Primary Education, as well as Special Education, first year of Compulsory Secondary Education, and first year of Basic Vocational Training will be renewed.
This renewal is part of a specific schedule that the educational administration is processing. The objective is to adapt the materials to the new state educational law, continuing a process that began in previous years. The update will be carried out in stages, focusing on the mentioned grades.
The ACCEDE program, launched in the 2019/20 academic year, has seen consistent growth. Since its inception, the number of beneficiary students has increased by 65%, from 312,000 to nearly 520,000 families. The accumulated investment since its creation exceeds 290 million euros, reflecting the importance of this initiative in the region's educational policies.
For parents, these measures have a direct impact on household finances, especially in families with multiple children. With the increased investment and planned material renewal, affected families will be able to receive school supplies at no cost before the start of the 2026/27 academic year, once the renewal schedule is definitively approved.
