Bill > HR7883

This bill, the "Addressing Teacher Shortages Act of 2026," aims to combat the critical shortage of qualified teachers in the United States, particularly in under-resourced and underserved communities, by establishing a grant program to support teacher preparation and retention. The program, administered by the Secretary of Education, will award competitive grants to eligible entities, such as local school districts or consortia, to fund various initiatives including establishing or expanding teaching residency programs, which offer hands-on training and support for aspiring teachers, and "Grow Your Own" programs designed to recruit and train individuals from within the local community to become teachers. The bill also prioritizes funding for programs that address shortages in rural areas, high-need subject areas like STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and special education, and those that promote diversity within the teaching workforce, with a specific focus on partnerships with minority-serving institutions. Grant recipients will be required to implement robust evaluation plans to measure educator retention, licensure pass rates, and the diversity of participating educators, and will need to provide matching funds from non-Federal sources, though waivers may be granted for economically disadvantaged entities. Additionally, the bill expresses a sense of Congress that teaching should be formally recognized as a career pathway within career and technical education, potentially opening up more funding opportunities for early career pathway programs in education.

Education

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7883/all-info