I
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3785
To establish expanded teacher loan forgiveness programs under the guaran-
teed and direct student loan programs for teachers of mathematics and
science, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 26, 2002
Mr. BAKER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To establish expanded teacher loan forgiveness programs
under the guaranteed and direct student loan programs
for teachers of mathematics and science, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Math and Science
Teacher Recruitment Act of 2002’’.
SEC. 2. REVISION OF TEACHER LOAN FORGIVENESS PRO-
GRAMS.
(a) GUARANTEED STUDENT LOANS.—Part B of title
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended by—
(1) redesignating section 428K (20 U.S.C.
1078–11) as section 428L; and
(2) by inserting after section 428J the following
new section:
‘‘SEC. 428K. EXPANDED LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR TEACH-
ERS.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this section to
expand, subject to the availability of appropriations, the
eligibility of individuals to qualify for loan forgiveness for
teachers beyond that available under section 428J, in
order to provide additional incentives for teachers of math-
ematics and science in low-income public middle and sec-
ondary schools to enter and continue in the teaching pro-
fession.
‘‘(b) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—From the sums appro-
priated pursuant to subsection (g), the Secretary
shall carry out a program, through the holder of the
loan, of assuming the obligation to repay a qualified
loan amount for a loan made under section 428 or
428H, in accordance with subsection (c), for any
borrower who—
section, based on the amount of funds available to
carry out this section.
‘‘(3) CONTINUED
ELIGIBILITY.—Any teacher
who performs service in a school that—
‘‘(A) meets the requirements of paragraph
(1)(A) in any year during such service; and
‘‘(B) in a subsequent year fails to meet the
requirements of such paragraph,
may continue to teach in such school and shall be
eligible for loan forgiveness pursuant to subsection
(b).
‘‘(4) PROHIBITION OF DOUBLE BENEFITS.—No
borrower may, for the same service, receive a benefit
under both this section and subtitle D of title I of
the National and Community Service Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.). No borrower may receive
a reduction of loan obligations under both this sec-
tion and section 428J, 460, or 460A.
‘‘(c) QUALIFIED LOAN AMOUNTS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall repay
not more than—
‘‘(A) $2,500 for each complete school year
of teaching described in subsection (b)(1)(A)
(after the third or any succeeding such year); or
‘‘(B) a total of $20,000.
‘‘(2) TREATMENT OF CONSOLIDATION LOANS.—
A loan amount for a loan made under section 428C
may be a qualified loan amount for the purposes of
this subsection only to the extent that such loan
amount was used to repay a Federal Direct Stafford
Loan, a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan,
or a loan made under section 428 or 428H for a
borrower who meets the requirements of subsection
(b), as determined in accordance with regulations
prescribed by the Secretary.
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section:
‘‘(1) The term ‘year’, where applied to service
as a teacher, means an academic year as defined by
the Secretary.
‘‘(2) The term ‘low-income public school’ means
a public school with high percentages or numbers of
students from low-income families, as determined
under section 1113(a)(5) or 1124(c)(1) of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6313(a)(5), 6333(c)(1)).
‘‘(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed to authorize any refunding of any
repayment of a loan.
‘‘(f) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary is authorized to
issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out
the provisions of this section.
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003 and
each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.’’.
(b) DIRECT STUDENT LOANS.—Part D of title IV of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting
after section 460 the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 460A. EXPANDED LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR TEACH-
ERS.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this section to
expand, subject to the availability of appropriations, the
eligibility of individuals to qualify for loan forgiveness for
teachers beyond that available under section 460, in order
to provide additional incentives for teachers of mathe-
matics and science in low-income public middle and sec-
ondary schools to enter and continue in the teaching pro-
fession.
‘‘(b) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—From the sums appro-
priated pursuant to subsection (g), the Secretary
shall cancel the obligation to repay a qualified loan
amount in accordance with subsection (c) for Fed-
eral Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Direct Un-
subsidized Stafford Loans made under this part for
any borrower who—
‘‘(A) is employed as a full-time teacher in
a public school in grades 7 through 12, inclu-
sive, as a teacher of mathematics or science;
‘‘(B) has entered into an agreement with
the local educational agency to continue teach-
ing in such grades and subject matter for not
less than 3 complete school years;
‘‘(C) had mathematics, life or physical
sciences, technology, or engineering as an un-
dergraduate academic major, or has a graduate
degree in any such field, as certified by the
chief administrative officer of the public school
in which the borrower is employed;
‘‘(D) has a State certification (which may
include certification obtained through alter-
native means) or a State license to teach, and
has not failed to comply with State or local ac-
countability standards; and
‘‘(E) is not in default on a loan for which
the borrower seeks forgiveness.
‘‘(2) SELECTION
OF
RECIPIENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall by regulation establish a formula that
ensures fairness and equality for applicants in the
selection of borrowers for loan repayment under this
section, based on the amount of funds available to
carry out this section.
‘‘(3) CONTINUED
ELIGIBILITY.—Any teacher
who performs service in a school that—
‘‘(A) meets the requirements of paragraph
(1)(A) in any year during such service; and
‘‘(B) in a subsequent year fails to meet the
requirements of such paragraph,
may continue to teach in such school and shall be
eligible for loan forgiveness pursuant to subsection
(b).
‘‘(4) PROHIBITION OF DOUBLE BENEFITS.—No
borrower may, for the same service, receive a benefit
under both this section and subtitle D of title I of
the National and Community Service Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.). No borrower may receive
a reduction of loan obligations under both this sec-
tion and section 428J, 428K, or 460.
‘‘(c) QUALIFIED LOAN AMOUNTS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall cancel
not more than—
‘‘(A) $2,500 for each complete school year
of teaching described in subsection (b)(1)(A)
(after the third or any succeeding such year); or
‘‘(B) a total of $20,000.
‘‘(2) TREATMENT OF CONSOLIDATION LOANS.—
A loan amount for a Federal Direct Consolidation
Loan may be a qualified loan amount for the pur-
poses of this subsection only to the extent that such
loan amount was used to repay a Federal Direct
Stafford Loan, a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Staf-
ford Loan, or a loan made under section 428 or
428H for a borrower who meets the requirements of
subsection (b), as determined in accordance with
regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section:
‘‘(1) The term ‘year’, where applied to service
as a teacher, means an academic year as defined by
the Secretary.
‘‘(2) The term ‘low-income public school’ means
a public school with high percentages or numbers of
students from low-income families, as determined
under section 1113(a)(5) or 1124(c)(1) of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6313(a)(5), 6333(c)(1)).
‘‘(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed to authorize any refunding of any
repayment of a loan.
‘‘(f) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary is authorized to
issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out
the provisions of this section.
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003 and
each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.’’.
SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION CONCERNING
AVAILABILITY OF PROGRAM.
Section 485(a)(1)(M) of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(a)(1)(M)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘, and’’ at the end of clause (i)
and inserting a semicolon;
(2) by inserting ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at
the end of clause (ii); and
(3) by inserting after clause (ii) the following
new clause:
‘‘(iii) obtain repayment or cancellation of a
portion of such loan for service as a teacher
under sections 428J, 428K, 460, and 460A;’’.
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