The House approved two pieces of legislation (H.R. 2211 and H.R. 438) on July 9. H.R. 2211, the Ready to Teach Act (approved 407-17), and H.R. 438, the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act (approved 417-7), both aim to support teachers by increasing the loan forgiveness available to teachers in subjects in which there are teacher shortages, and to improve teacher training programs available to teachers. The House Education and the Workforce Committee approved both measures on June 10 by voice vote.
H.R. 2211 would provide incentives for teachers in subjects with teacher shortagesnamely math, science, and special educationto teach in “high-need” schools. It would authorize three types of grants for teacher training: state grants for reforming requirements for teacher preparation; teacher recruitment grants aimed at attracting high-quality talent into schools; and partnership grants, which would be used to fund collaborations to train teachers. The measure would require that college teaching programs receiving federal grants graduate teachers highly skilled in teaching their core subjects.
Rep. Tom Osborne (R-NE) noted the need for reform, pointing to his own tenure as a teacher at a teacher’s college. “I was often struck by the disconnect between the theory of teaching presented in the teacher’s college and the practical aspects of teaching in the classroom. As a result, because of this disconnect, we find a lot of young teachers going into the classroom unprepared and they leave early, and this is very expensive to the whole system. … My experience has been that too often teachers have not adequately been assessed in terms of their knowledge, their skill; and mediocrity has often been the norm, and that is tragic in a profession as important as this.”
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) reiterated concerns raised by Committee Democrats that the bill doesn’t provide enough funding for teacher training programs. “I am very concerned about the growing gap between what we say we want to do as an authorizing committee and what we are willing to pay for as a Congress. We can talk all day long about the good things we are going to do; but at the end of the day, if we are not going to pay for them, all we have is talk.”
Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) addressed the funding concerns. “I think most Members on both sides of the aisle believe that we have done more than anyone could ever have expected the federal government to do in terms of increasing our funding for K-12 education programs so that we can meet our commitment to leave no child behind. We are doing our share. Unfortunately, the states are having great difficulty with their budgets, and some are having to cut education programs that they would rather not. But we cannot make up for the shortfalls and the problems that the States are having. We are doing our share. I am sure they will find a way to do theirs.”
The House passed, 416-4, an amendment offered by bill sponsor Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) that would require teachers to be able to understand scientifically based research and its applicability. The House also adopted, by voice vote, amendments offered by Reps. Dale Kildee (D-MI), Mike Honda (D-CA) and Gregory Meeks (D-NY), which would, respectively, strengthen clinical training programs and train teachers on multilingual software for use with students with limited proficiency in English; develop mentoring programs for teaching students; and provide grants to educational programs that conduct outreach and communication services with rural and inner-city secondary schools.
The second bill, H.R. 438, would more than triple the amount of loan forgiveness for math, science, and special education teachers from the current $5,000 to $17,500. In order to qualify for the loan forgiveness program, teachers would have to agree to teach in a Title I school for five consecutive years. A portion of the loan forgiveness would be available after two years of teaching. An existing program that offers $5,000 in loan forgiveness for teachers in all subjects in low-income schools would continue.
By voice vote, the House agreed to an amendment offered by Rep. George Miller (D-CA), that also would provide $17,500 in loan forgiveness to reading teachers who have obtained a separate state credential in reading.
Democrats pushed for increased funding, and expanding the loan forgiveness program to include Head Start teachers and teachers in all subjects who teach in high-risk schools. Republicans countered that, with funds being limited, math, science, and special education had to be counted as first priorities.
Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) disputed the claim that sufficient funds were not available to extend the program. “I must say to [the majority] who said that to cover other districts or other subjects or to help with Head Start teachers, the money just was not available — please, I never want to hear that argument again this year. We have just been told by the majority over the last two years that there are several trillion dollars that they found, that are more than we know what to do with, and they have to be given back. It has to go back in the form of tax cuts. … Trust me, we will not see these tax cuts end up in the hands of the Head Start teachers, we will not see these tax cuts coming back to provide for the training and professional development of teachers or for the recruitment of teachers.”
