Title: BETTER TEACH Grants Act of 2019
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Build Effective Teachers Through Essential Reforms to Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants Act of 2019 or the BETTER TEACH Grants Act of 2019
This bill revises provisions related to the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program.
Specifically, the bill includes within the purview of the grant program certain teacher preparation programs that were formerly ineligible, and it increases award amounts for teacher candidates enrolled as undergraduate juniors or seniors. The bill also expands TEACH Grant eligibility to associate degree students as well as to applicants obtaining a graduate degree in early childhood education.
The bill clarifies the requirement that a TEACH Grant be treated as a Stafford Loan subject to repayment by establishing designated time frames within which a recipient must serve as a teacher. Further, the bill allows for the continued eligibility of a grant recipient despite certain changes to school description, teacher duties, or high-need field status.
In addition, the bill requires the Department of Education to collect and make publicly available certain student data such as the number of (1) TEACH Grants awarded to students at a participating institution, (2) TEACH Grant recipients who complete their program of study and begin employment as a teacher in the first academic year following completion, and (3) TEACH Grant recipients who fulfill the terms of their agreement to serve and those whose grants are converted into loans for failure to fulfill such terms.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4578 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4578

 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make improvements to the 
              TEACH Grant program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 27, 2019

    Ms. Wilson of Florida (for herself, Mrs. Hayes, and Mr. Takano) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make improvements to the 
              TEACH Grant program, 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 ``Build Effective Teachers Through 
Essential Reforms to Teacher Education Assistance for College and 
Higher Education Grants Act of 2019'' or the ``BETTER TEACH Grants Act 
of 2019''.

SEC. 2. REVISED DEFINITIONS OF TEACH GRANTS.

    Section 420L of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070g) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Teacher preparation program.--The term `teacher 
        preparation program'--
                    ``(A) means a State-approved course of study 
                provided by an institution of higher education, the 
                completion of which signifies that an enrollee has met 
                all the State's educational or training requirements 
                for initial certification or licensure to teach in the 
                State's elementary schools or secondary schools; and
                    ``(B) may be a regular program or an alternative 
                route to certification, as defined by the State that 
                approved such course of study.''.

SEC. 3. REVISIONS TO ESTABLISHING TEACH GRANT PROGRAM.

    Section 420M of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070g-
1) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1) by striking ``in the amount of'' 
        and all that follows through the period at the end and 
        inserting the following: ``in the amount of--
                    ``(A) except as provided in subsection (d)(4), 
                $8,000 dollars, to be available to a teacher candidate 
                who is enrolled as an undergraduate junior at the 
                eligible institution;
                    ``(B) except as provided in subsection (d)(4), 
                $8,000 dollars, to be available to a teacher candidate 
                who is enrolled as an undergraduate senior at the 
                eligible institution; and
                    ``(C) $4,000 for any year not described in 
                subparagraph (A) or (B) during which that teacher 
                candidate is in attendance at the institution.''; and
            (2) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``undergraduate'' 
                and inserting ``associate, undergraduate,''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Associate degree students.--
                    ``(A) Maximum amount for associate degree study.--
                The period during which an associate degree student may 
                receive grants under this subpart shall be the period 
                required for the completion of an associate's degree 
                course of study pursued by the teacher candidate at the 
                eligible institution at which the teacher candidate is 
                in attendance, except that the total amount that a 
                teacher candidate may receive under this subpart for an 
                associate's degree course of study shall not exceed 
                $8,000.
                    ``(B) Effect on further undergraduate or post-
                baccalaureate study.--In the case of a teacher 
                candidate who receives a grant under this subpart for 
                an associate's degree course of study and who seeks to 
                receive a grant described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of 
                subsection (a)(1), the amount of such grant shall be 
                equal to--
                            ``(i) one half of the amount that is equal 
                        to $16,000, minus the amount the teacher 
                        candidate received under this subpart for the 
                        associate's degree course of study of such 
                        candidate, to be available to a teacher 
                        candidate who is enrolled as an undergraduate 
                        junior at the eligible institution; and
                            ``(ii) one half of the amount that is equal 
                        to $16,000, minus the amount the teacher 
                        candidate received under this subpart for the 
                        associate's degree course of study of such 
                        candidate, to be available to a teacher 
                        candidate who is enrolled as an undergraduate 
                        senior at the eligible institution.''.

SEC. 4. REVISIONS TO TEACH GRANT APPLICATIONS AND ELIGIBILITY.

    Section 420N of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070g-
2) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the heading of paragraph (2), by striking 
                ``Demonstration of teach'' and insert ``Teach'';
                    (B) in paragraphs (2)(B)(i), by striking ``or 
                another high-need'' and inserting ``early childhood 
                education, or another high-need''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (2)(B)(ii), by striking ``, such 
                as Teach for America,'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                        before the semicolon at the end the following: 
                        ``or in a high-need early childhood education 
                        program (as defined in section 200(15));'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C)--
                                    (I) by striking ``or'' at the end 
                                of clause (vi);
                                    (II) by redesignating clause (vii) 
                                as clause (viii);
                                    (III) by inserting after clause 
                                (vi), as so amended, the following:
                            ``(vii) early childhood education; or''; 
                        and
                                    (IV) in clause (viii), as so 
                                redesignated, by adding ``and'' at the 
                                end;
                            (iii) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
                        ``and'' at the end; and
                            (iv) by striking subparagraph (E);
                    (B) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
                (2);
                    (C) by striking the period at the end of paragraph 
                (3) and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) the Secretary will--
                    ``(A) notify, or ensure that the applicable loan 
                servicer will notify, the applicant of--
                            ``(i) the date on which submission of the 
                        certification under paragraph (1)(D) is 
                        required; and
                            ``(ii) any failure to submit such 
                        certification; and
                    ``(B) allow employers and borrowers to use 
                electronic signatures to certify such employment.'';
            (3) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) by striking ``In the event'' and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), in the 
        event''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Clarification.--
                    ``(A) Application.--Paragraph (1) may only apply 
                with respect to a recipient of a grant under this 
                subpart if--
                            ``(i) after completing the course of study 
                        for which the recipient received the grant, 
                        such recipient does not serve as a full-time 
                        teacher as required under subsection (b)(1) for 
                        at least--
                                    ``(I) 1 year, as certified under 
                                subsection (b)(1)(D) on a date that is 
                                not later than 5 years after the date 
                                such course of study was completed;
                                    ``(II) 2 years, as certified under 
                                subsection (b)(1)(D) on a date that is 
                                not later than 6 years after the date 
                                such course of study was completed;
                                    ``(III) 3 years, as certified under 
                                subsection (b)(1)(D) on a date that is 
                                not later than 7 years after the date 
                                such course of study was completed; or
                                    ``(IV) 4 years, as certified under 
                                subsection (b)(1)(D) on a date that is 
                                not later than 8 years after the date 
                                such course of study was completed; or
                            ``(ii) the recipient elects to have such 
                        grant treated as a loan in accordance with such 
                        paragraph (1).
                    ``(B) Appeal.--A recipient of a grant may appeal a 
                decision to convert a loan under paragraph (1).''; and
            (4) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
                (5);
                    (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``subsection 
                (b)(1)(C)(vii)'' and inserting ``subsection 
                (b)(1)(C)(viii)''; and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (1), the 
                following:
            ``(2) Change of school description or program definition.--
        If a recipient of an initial grant under this subpart teaches 
        in a school or an early childhood education program for an 
        academic year during which the school is identified as a school 
        described in section 465(a)(2)(A) or a program that meets the 
        definition of section 200(15), but the school or program no 
        longer meets such description or definition during a subsequent 
        academic year, the grant recipient may fulfill the service 
        obligation described in subsection (b)(1) by continuing to 
        teach at that school or program.
            ``(3) Change of teacher duties or assignment.--If a 
        recipient of an initial grant under this subpart teaches as a 
        full-time teacher described in subsection (b)(1)(A), but the 
        recipient no longer meets such description during a subsequent 
        academic year due to switching academic roles to that of a 
        full-time co-teacher, teacher leader, instructional or academic 
        coach, department chairperson, special education case manager, 
        guidance counselor, or school administrator within a school or 
        program, the grant recipient may fulfill the service obligation 
        described in subsection (b)(1) by continuing to work in any 
        such academic role on a full-time basis at that school or 
        program.
            ``(4) Change in high-need field status.--If a recipient of 
        an initial grant under this subpart teaches in a field at a 
        school or an early childhood education program for an academic 
        year during which the field is designated under subsection 
        (b)(1)(C)(viii), but the field no longer is so designated 
        during a subsequent academic year, the grant recipient may 
        fulfill the service obligation described in subsection (b)(1) 
        by continuing to teach in such field at such school or early 
        childhood education program.''.

SEC. 5. REVISIONS TO TEACH GRANT DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING.

    Section 420P of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070g-
4) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 420P. DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING.

    ``(a) Data Collection.--
            ``(1) Aggregate student data.--On an annual basis, the 
        Secretary shall determine, disaggregate in accordance with 
        paragraph (2), and make available to the public in accordance 
        with paragraph (3), with respect to each institution (and each 
        category of institution listed in section 132(d)) that received 
        a payment under this subpart in the previous academic year, the 
        following information:
                    ``(A) The number and mean dollar amount of TEACH 
                Grants awarded to students at the institution.
                    ``(B) The number and proportion of TEACH Grant 
                recipients who exit their program of study before 
                completing the program.
                    ``(C) The number and proportion of TEACH Grant 
                recipients who complete their program of study and 
                begin employment as a teacher in the first academic 
                year following the year of such completion.
                    ``(D) The number and proportion of individuals 
                employed as teachers who received a TEACH Grant and 
                whose TEACH Grants are converted into loans during the 
                8-year period following the year in which the recipient 
                completed the recipient's program of study, set forth 
                separately for each year in such period.
                    ``(E) The number and proportion of TEACH Grant 
                recipients who fulfill the terms of their agreement to 
                serve under section 420N(b) during the 8-year period 
                following the year in which the recipient completed the 
                recipient's program of study, set forth separately for 
                each year in such period.
            ``(2) Disaggregation.--The information determined under 
        paragraph (1)--
                    ``(A) except in cases in which such disaggregation 
                would reveal personally identifiable information about 
                an individual student, shall be disaggregated by--
                            ``(i) race;
                            ``(ii) gender;
                            ``(iii) socioeconomic status;
                            ``(iv) Federal Pell Grant eligibility 
                        status;
                            ``(v) status as a first-generation college 
                        student (as defined in section 402A(h));
                            ``(vi) veteran or active duty status;
                            ``(vii) disability status;
                            ``(viii) level of study (associate, 
                        undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, or graduate, 
                        as applicable);
                            ``(ix) year of study (junior or senior 
                        year, as applicable); and
                            ``(x) each teacher preparation program 
                        offered by an institution; and
                    ``(B) may be disaggregated by any combination of 
                subgroups or descriptions described in subparagraph 
                (A).
            ``(3) Availability of data.--The information determined 
        under paragraph (1) shall--
                    ``(A) remain available to the public for a period 
                of not less than 10 years after its initial release by 
                the Secretary; and
                    ``(B) be updated as necessary to reflect the most 
                accurate and up-to-date information for each 
                institution for each year of data collection.
    ``(b) Information From Institutions.--Each institution that 
receives a payment under this subpart shall provide to the Secretary, 
on an annual basis, such information as may be necessary for the 
Secretary to carry out subsection (a).
    ``(c) Reports and Dissemination.--
            ``(1) Initial and interim reports.--Not later than one year 
        after the date on which the first TEACH Grant is awarded under 
        this subpart after the date of enactment of the BETTER TEACH 
        Grants Act of 2019, and annually thereafter, the Secretary 
        shall submit to the authorizing committees a report that 
        includes the information required under paragraph (3).
            ``(2) Final report.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than one year after 
                the date described in subparagraph (B), the Secretary 
                shall submit to the authorizing committees a final 
                report that includes the information required under 
                paragraph (3).
                    ``(B) Date described.--The date described in this 
                subparagraph is the later of--
                            ``(i) the date on which the last service 
                        agreement associated with a TEACH Grant is 
                        completed; or
                            ``(ii) the date on which the last TEACH 
                        Grant awarded under this subpart is converted 
                        into a loan.
            ``(3) Elements.--Each report under this subsection shall 
        include, based on information determined under subsection (a), 
        the following:
                    ``(A) A review of the utilization of TEACH Grants 
                at teacher preparation programs at institutions that 
                received a payment under this subpart.
                    ``(B) A review of TEACH Grant practices that 
                correlate with higher rates of completion of agreements 
                under section 420N(b).
                    ``(C) Guidance and recommendations on how effective 
                utilization of TEACH Grants can be replicated.
            ``(4) Availability.--Each report under this subsection 
        shall be made available to the public in an accessible format--
                    ``(A) on a website of the Department of Education; 
                and
                    ``(B) in any other format determined to be 
                appropriate by the Secretary.''.

SEC. 6. STUDY AND REPORT ON SINGLE CERTIFICATION FORM.

    (a) Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall conduct a study on the 
feasibility of developing a single certification form that borrowers 
may use to electronically submit information with respect to--
            (1) TEACH Grants under subpart 9 of part A of title IV of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070g et seq.);
            (2) loan forgiveness under section 428J of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10);
            (3) loan cancellation under section 460 of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087j); and
            (4) public service loan forgiveness under section 455(m) of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(m)).
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall submit a report to 
Congress that includes--
            (1) the results of the study required under subsection (a); 
        and
            (2) recommendations with respect to using a single 
        certification form that borrowers may use to electronically 
        submit information with respect to the programs specified in 
        paragraphs (1) through (4) of such subsection.
                                 <all>