‘‘(6) ELIGIBLE
NURSE.—The term ‘eligible 
nurse’ means a nurse who meets all of the following: 
‘‘(A) The nurse graduated from—
‘‘(i) an accredited school of nursing 
(as those terms are defined in section 801 
of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 296)); 
‘‘(ii) a nursing center; or 
‘‘(iii) an academic health center that 
provides nurse training. 
‘‘(B) The nurse holds a valid and unre-
stricted license to practice nursing in the State 
in which the nurse practices in a clinical set-
ting. 
‘‘(C) The nurse holds 1 or more of the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) A graduate degree in nursing, or 
an equivalent degree. 
‘‘(ii) A nursing degree from a colle-
giate school of nursing (as defined in sec-
tion 801 of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 296)). 
‘‘(iii) A nursing degree from an asso-
ciate degree school of nursing (as defined
in section 801 of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 296)). 
‘‘(iv) A nursing degree from a diploma 
school of nursing (as defined in section 
801 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 296)). 
‘‘(7) ELIGIBLE
PRESCHOOL
PROGRAM
PRO-
VIDER.—The term ‘eligible preschool program pro-
vider’ means a preschool program provider serving 
children younger than the age of compulsory school 
attendance that is—
‘‘(A) a public or private school; 
‘‘(B) a provider that is supported, spon-
sored, supervised, or administered by a local 
educational agency; 
‘‘(C) a Head Start agency designated 
under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et 
seq.); 
‘‘(D) a nonprofit or community-based orga-
nization; or 
‘‘(E) a licensed child care center or family 
child care provider. 
‘‘(8) LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY.—In this sub-
section, the term ‘low-income community’ means a 
community in which 70 percent of households earn
less than 85 percent of the State median household 
income. 
‘‘(9) PRESCHOOL
TEACHER.—The term ‘pre-
school teacher’ means an individual—
‘‘(A) who has received at least an associ-
ate’s degree in early childhood education and 
who is working toward or who has already re-
ceived a bachelor’s degree in early childhood 
education; and 
‘‘(B) who works for an eligible preschool 
program provider supporting the children’s cog-
nitive, social, emotional, and physical develop-
ment to prepare the children for the transition 
to kindergarten. 
‘‘(10) YEAR.—The term ‘year’, where applied to 
service as a teacher (or service as a member of an 
accredited school of nursing (as those terms are de-
fined in section 801 of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 296))), means an academic year as de-
fined by the Secretary.’’. 
SEC. 109. SIGNIFICANTLY SIMPLIFYING THE STUDENT AID 
APPLICATION PROCESS. 
(a) EXPANDING
THE AUTO-ZERO
AND FURTHER 
SIMPLIFYING THE SIMPLIFIED NEEDS TEST.—
(1) SIMPLIFIED NEEDS TEST.—Section 479 (20 
U.S.C. 1087ss) is amended—
(A) in subsection (b)—
(i) in paragraph (1)—
(I) by striking clause (i) of sub-
paragraph (A) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) the student’s parents—
‘‘(I) file, or are eligible to file, a 
form described in paragraph (3); or 
‘‘(II) certify that they are not re-
quired to file an income tax return; or 
‘‘(III) or the student received 
benefits at some time during the pre-
vious 12-month period under a means-
tested Federal benefit program as de-
fined under subsection (d); and’’; and 
(II) by striking clause (i) of sub-
paragraph (B) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) the student (and the student’s 
spouse, if any)—
‘‘(I) files, or is eligible to file, a 
form described in paragraph (3); or