Congresswoman Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) are co-leading the Consider Teachers Act of 2021 (H.R. 2048), which seeks to fix errors within the TEACH Grant program that have resulted in thousands of recipients’ grants being inadvertently converted into loans.
The TEACH Grant program provides grant assistance to students who serve four years as full-time teachers in high-need, underserved communities. Under the Trump Administration, the Department of Education began a reconsideration process for teachers who had their grants incorrectly converted into loans. The Consider Teachers Act would clarify and codify this policy.
Spartz
“Good teachers are fundamental to our children’s education. As a former educator myself, I understand the importance of empowering our teachers to better prepare our students for the real world. I am happy to join Rep. Eleanor Holmes-Norton, Sen. Mike Braun, and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in leading the Consider Teachers Act,” Spartz said. “This common-sense, bipartisan solution will provide more flexibility and efficiency within the TEACH Grant program, allowing for better utilization of these grant dollars by reducing government bureaucracy.”
“I am pleased to co-lead with Congresswoman Spartz the Consider Teachers Act of 2021, which will ensure teachers are not burdened by unexpected debt,” Norton said. “The TEACH Grant program has unfairly converted many grants into loans because of small administrative errors. This bill will correct the administrative process.”
On April 27, 2021, the Senate passed the companion bill (S. 848), introduced by Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), by unanimous consent.
Braun
“The TEACH grant is an important program to incentivize teachers to serve in neglected communities, but 12 years of poor government management has turned these grants into groans for thousands of teachers,” Braun said. “This bill passing the Senate shows our appreciation for America’s great teachers, and I am confident with Congresswoman Spartz and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton leading on this legislation in the House of Representatives we will fix this broken system once and for all.”
“Arizona teachers receiving TEACH grants serve in low-income schools, helping Arizona students access quality educations across our state,” Sinema said. “The government made a promise to these teachers – and our common-sense, bipartisan bill ensures the government honors its obligation and protects our teachers from surprise bills.”