Consider Teachers Act

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 in order to improve the service obligation verification process for TEACH Grant recipients, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Consider Teachers Act 2. TEACH Grants Section 420N of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1070g–2 (1) in subsection (b)(1)(D), by inserting, by not later than the October 31 following the year of such service (2) in subsection (c)— (A) by striking In the event (1) In general In the event ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (2) Reconsideration of conversion decisions (A) Request to reconsider In any case where the Secretary has determined that a recipient of a grant under this subpart has failed or refused to comply with the service obligation in the agreement under subsection (b) and has converted the grant into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan under part D in accordance with paragraph (1), the recipient may request that the Secretary reconsider the determination and may submit additional information to demonstrate satisfaction of the service obligation. (B) Reconsideration If, in reconsidering a determination under subparagraph (A), the Secretary determines that the reason for the initial determination was the recipient's failure to timely submit an annual recertification required under subsection (b)(1)(D), and that the recipient has, as of the date of the reconsideration, demonstrated that the recipient did meet, or is meeting the service obligation in the agreement under subsection (b), the Secretary shall— (i) discharge the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan under part D, and reinstate the recipient's grant under this subpart; (ii) discharge any interest or fees that may have accumulated during the period that the grant was converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan under part D; (iii) if the recipient has other loans under part D, apply any payments made for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan under part D during such period to those other loans under part D; (iv) if the recipient does not have other loans under part D, reimburse the recipient for any amounts paid on the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan under part D during such period; and (v) use the additional information provided under subparagraph (A) to determine the progress the recipient has made in meeting the service obligation. (C) Extension of time to complete service obligation In the case of a recipient whose grant under this subpart was reinstated in accordance with subparagraph (B) prior to December 31, 2018, the Secretary may extend the time remaining for the recipient to fulfill the service obligation for a period of time equal to the time that recipient had remaining to fulfill the service obligation at the time that grant was originally converted into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan under part D of title IV in accordance with paragraph (1). (D) Rule of construction Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to mean that the service obligation under this subpart is waived. ; and (3) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following: (3) Communication with recipients The Secretary shall ensure that each servicer for grants under this subpart notifies TEACH grant recipients by October 5 of each year regarding how to submit documentation regarding the grants under this subpart and the October 31 deadline established under subsection (b)(1)(D). .

Summary: Consider Teachers Act This bill revises the service obligation verification process for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant program. For example, the bill provides a process for the Department of Education to reconsider and reverse the conversion of a TEACH grant to a loan. The bill also establishes certain program flexibilities with respect to the service obligations of teachers affected by the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.