SPELL Act
Bill: H.R.3830 | Sponsor: Rep. Langevin, James R. (D-RI)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Supporting Providers of English Language Learning Act or the SPELL Act
This bill allows elementary and secondary school teachers who teach English learners, bilingual students, or dual language immersion students to receive additional amounts of student loan forgiveness and loan cancellation.

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide additional amounts 
  of loan forgiveness to teachers of English learners and teachers of 
bilingual and dual language immersion students, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Providers of English 
Language Learning Act'' or the ``SPELL Act''.

SEC. 2. TEACHERS OF ENGLISH LEARNERS, BILINGUAL, AND DUAL LANGAGE 
              STUDENTS.

    (a) Loan Forgiveness for Teachers.--Section 428J(c)(3) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10(c)(3)) is amended--
            (1) in the paragraph heading by striking ``Mathematics, 
        science, or special education'' and inserting ``Mathematics, 
        science, special education, or english language education'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A)(ii) by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (3) in subparagraph (B)(iii) by striking the period at the 
        end and inserting ``; and''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) an elementary school or secondary school 
                teacher--
                            ``(i) who meets the requirements of 
                        subsection (b);
                            ``(ii) whose qualifying employment for 
                        purposes of such subsection is--
                                    ``(I) as a teacher of English 
                                learners (as that term is defined in 
                                section 8101 of the Elementary and 
                                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
                                U.S.C. 7801)) whose primary 
                                responsibility is to teach such 
                                learners; or
                                    ``(II) as a bilingual or dual 
                                language immersion teacher; and
                            ``(iii) who, as certified by the chief 
                        administrative officer of the public or 
                        nonprofit private elementary school or 
                        secondary school in which the borrower is 
                        employed, or, in the case of a teacher who is 
                        employed by an educational service agency, as 
                        certified by the chief administrative officer 
                        of such agency--
                                    ``(I) is teaching English learners 
                                or bilingual or dual language immersion 
                                students who correspond with the 
                                borrower's training; and
                                    ``(II) has demonstrated knowledge 
                                and teaching skills in the content 
                                areas of the elementary school or 
                                secondary school curriculum that the 
                                borrower is teaching.''.
    (b) Loan Cancellation for Teachers.--Section 460(c)(3) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087j(c)(3)) is amended--
            (1) in the paragraph heading by striking ``Mathematics, 
        science, or special education'' and inserting ``Mathematics, 
        science, special education, or english language education'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A)(ii) by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (3) in subparagraph (B)(iii) by striking the period at the 
        end and inserting ``; and''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) an elementary school or secondary school 
                teacher--
                            ``(i) who meets the requirements of 
                        subsection (b); and
                            ``(ii) whose qualifying employment for 
                        purposes of such subsection is--
                                    ``(I) as a teacher of English 
                                learners (as that term is defined in 
                                section 8101 of the Elementary and 
                                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
                                U.S.C. 7801)) whose primary 
                                responsibility is to teach such 
                                learners; or
                                    ``(II) as a bilingual or dual 
                                language immersion teacher; and
                            ``(iii) who, as certified by the chief 
                        administrative officer of the public or 
                        nonprofit private elementary school or 
                        secondary school in which the borrower is 
                        employed, or, in the case of a teacher who is 
                        employed by an educational service agency, as 
                        certified by the chief administrative officer 
                        of such agency--
                                    ``(I) is teaching English learners 
                                or bilingual or dual language immersion 
                                students who correspond with the 
                                borrower's training; and
                                    ``(II) has demonstrated knowledge 
                                and teaching skills in the content 
                                areas of the elementary school or 
                                secondary school curriculum that the 
                                borrower is teaching.''.

SEC. 3. APPLICABILITY.

    The amendments made by section 2 shall take effect on the date of 
the enactment of this Act and shall apply with respect to individuals 
who are eligible to receive teacher loan forgiveness under section 428J 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10) or teacher loan 
cancellation under section 460 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1087j) after such 
date.
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