# Plain Language Summary: EDUCATORS for America Act

This bill aims to fix a serious problem in American schools: there aren't enough teachers, and the teaching profession doesn't reflect the diversity of students in classrooms. The bill tackles this by making it easier and more affordable for people to become teachers, especially in subjects where teachers are desperately needed like math, science, and special education, and especially for people of color who are severely underrepresented in teaching.

The core issue the bill addresses is that teaching pays significantly less than other careers requiring a college degree, which discourages college students from pursuing education. According to the bill's findings, 72 percent of college students say low pay is why they won't become teachers. Teachers also struggle with student loan debt—their average loan payments eat up about 9 percent of their starting salary, well above what financial experts consider affordable. Meanwhile, only 18 percent of teachers are people of color, even though 50 percent of students are from minority groups. Research shows that students of color perform better academically and develop stronger social skills when taught by teachers who share their background, and all students benefit from having diverse role models in the classroom.

To address these problems, the bill reauthorizes and expands federal programs that help prepare teachers and make teaching more attractive as a career. It focuses on building capacity at colleges and universities that train teachers, particularly at institutions that have struggled financially. The bill emphasizes recruiting people from underrepresented groups into teaching and supporting them through high-quality preparation programs. It also expands support for training school principals and leaders, recognizing that effective school leadership is second only to classroom instruction in improving student achievement, and that leadership diversity matters too—only 22 percent of principals are people of color.

EDUCATORS for America Act

Adams, Alma S.

EDUCATORS for America Act This bill provides resources to support the recruitment, retention, and preparation of educators. Specifically, the bill expands the Teacher Quality Partnership program to include training and professional development opportunities for principals and other school leaders. Additionally, the bill updates the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence program to support underrepresented candidates in educator preparation programs. The bill establishes an education careers opportunity program to provide individuals from underrepresented backgrounds with education and training to become educators. Further, the bill revises the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant program to raise the maximum amount for TEACH grants. The bill also expands loan forgiveness for educators by revising the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program, including by <ul> <li>renaming the program as the Educator Loan Forgiveness Programs,</li> <li>making additional loan types eligible for benefits under the program (e.g., parent PLUS loans), and </li> <li>expanding program eligibility to early childhood educators and program directors serving in early childhood education programs and school leaders serving in public high-need schools.</li> </ul> Next, the bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to (1) make monthly student loan payments on behalf of the educator during qualifying service (i.e., employment as a full-time qualifying educator in a high-need school or an early childhood education program), and (2) provide complete loan forgiveness after five years of qualifying service. ED must also carry out a program to provide loan credits to eligible educator borrowers enrolled in income-contingent or income-based repayment plans.