YourVoice.Now Summary
Transparency & AccountabilityFederal grants to train and keep teachers and principals for short-staffed, high-poverty and rural schools.
Transparency & Accountability
Current law set funding for the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement program only through 2014. The bill lets Congress fund it every year from now on, removing any point where it must be renewed.
More about this bill
Colleges and school districts could team up for federal grants to train and keep teachers and principals in hard-to-staff schools. The focus is high-poverty and rural schools. It also targets subjects with too few teachers, like special education, English learner classes, science, and math. The bill sets no dollar amount for these grants. Congress would decide each year. States would share 10% of the money equally to run the program and track shortages. Grants could pay for year-long teaching residencies. A resident works beside an expert teacher while earning a master's degree. Residents get a living stipend or salary for that year. In return, residents must teach for at least 3 years in a high-need school. Residents who quit early must pay the stipend back with interest. Programs may allow partial repayment, or a delay in service, for illness, military duty, or other hardship. If you work as a teacher's aide, substitute, or school volunteer, "Grow Your Own" grants could help you become a fully licensed teacher. These programs add financial aid on top of regular federal student aid. Each team must match its grant dollar for dollar, though the Education Department can waive this for hardship. Grants last 5 years and end early if a team shows little progress by year 3. Colleges that train teachers must report each year how many pass licensing tests and how many graduates stay in teaching. A college that fails to report can be fined up to $27,500. States must list weak training programs each year. A program that loses state approval for poor results cannot enroll students who use federal student aid. To count as high-need, a district would need at least 40% of its children from low-income families, up from 20%. Very large districts and small rural districts can still qualify other ways. Some colleges get federal money each year without a new vote in Congress. These include historically Black colleges, Hispanic-serving colleges, and tribal colleges. Starting in 2027, that yearly sum would rise from $255 million to $265 million. These colleges could also use their federal grants to start or grow programs that train teachers and principals. Congress could also fund a minority science and engineering grant program every year, with no end date.
Congressional Summary
Preparing and Retaining Education Professionals Act of 2026 or the PREP Act of 2026 This bill reauthorizes and revises certain grant programs to address shortages of teachers and school leaders (e.g., principals) in elementary and secondary schools, including shortages in rural areas and related to specific positions (e.g., special education and English language instruction). First, the bill makes permanent and otherwise revises the Teacher Quality Partnership program, which provides grants to improve the preparation of teachers and enhance professional development activities. In particular, the bill revises the program to (1) expand the purpose of grants to include the recruitment of well-prepared individuals, including individuals from underrepresented populations, into the teacher and school leadership force; (2) include training and professional development opportunities for school leaders; and (3) authorize a grant program to address workforce shortages or increase workforce diversity. Next, the bill makes permanent and otherwise revises the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence program, which provides grants to establish teacher preparation programs at minority-serving institutions. Further, the bill allows grants to be used for school leader preparation programs. Additionally, the bill aligns activities within teacher preparation programs at predominantly Black institutions, Native American-serving nontribal institutions, and other minority-serving institutions with certain changes made to the Teacher Quality Partnership program. Finally, the bill permanently reauthorizes the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement program, which provides grants to support science and engineering education at predominantly minority institutions.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-09-24
- Date Added
- 2026-10-21
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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