The Diversify Act makes changes to a federal program that gives grants to college students who agree to become teachers in schools serving low-income communities. Right now, the program helps pay for tuition, fees, and housing, but the new bill would expand it to cover all education costs—like books, supplies, and living expenses. It also increases the maximum amount of money each student can receive.

The bill makes the program more flexible by allowing people who teach in early childhood education programs to count that work toward their service requirement, not just K-12 teaching. It also removes a penalty system where students who don't complete their teaching commitment would have their grant converted into a loan they'd have to repay. Instead, the bill simply eliminates any monetary penalties for not finishing the service requirement.

Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Education to give electronic certificates to teachers who successfully complete their service commitment, and it protects the TEACH program from automatic budget cuts that might otherwise reduce its funding. Overall, these changes are designed to make it easier and more attractive for people to become teachers in schools that serve disadvantaged students.

Diversify Act

Diversifying by Investing in Educators and Students to Improve Outcomes For Youth Act or the Diversify Act This bill revises the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant program. The TEACH program awards grants to undergraduate and graduate students who commit to teaching in a high-need field and in an elementary or secondary school that serves low-income students. First, the bill raises the maximum amount for TEACH grants. Second, the bill allows TEACH grants to cover the full cost of attendance. Currently, these grants may be used only for tuition, fees, and on-campus housing. The bill allows teaching in a high-need early childhood education program to count toward service requirements for the program. Next, the bill eliminates the process for converting a TEACH grant to a loan if a recipient does not complete the requirements of the program. Further, the bill prohibits the Department of Education (ED) from instituting or creating a monetary penalty for failure or refusal to complete the service requirement. In addition, the bill requires ED to send an electronic certificate to grant recipients who have completed their service requirement. The bill also exempts the TEACH program from sequestration, which is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.