Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-438
Sponsor: Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2]
Introduced: 2003-01-29 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Federal aid to education
Federally-guaranteed loans
Government lending
Higher education
Mathematics
Scholarships
Science, Technology, Communications
Scientific education
Secondary education
Special education
Student loan funds
Teacher education
Teacher supply and demand
Teachers

Summary:
action_date: 2003-01-29
text: Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act of 2003 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for additional amounts of student loan forgiveness for certain teachers of: (1) mathematics and science in secondary schools; and (2) special education in elementary and secondary schools.
action_date: 2003-06-26
text: Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act of 2003 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for additional amounts of student loan forgiveness for certain eligible teachers of: (1) mathematics and science in secondary schools; and (2) special education in elementary and secondary schools. Requires such teachers to be highly qualified and to agree to teach for five consecutive years in schools with high enrollments of students from low-income families.
(Sec. 2) Increases to $17,500 the maximum amount of loan forgiveness for such teachers under the Federal Family Education Loan and the Federal Direct Student Loan programs (with the current maximum of $5,000 continuing to apply to teachers of other subjects). Directs the Secretary of Education to pay certain portions of such loan forgiveness at specified stages of their service, in the case of those eligible for the increased amount. Requires those qualifying for an increased repayment to teach at a school eligible for assistance under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA title I school) with at least a 40 percent enrollment of students from low-income families (with the current repayment maximum continuing to apply in the case of those who teach at ESEA title I schools with at least a 30 percent enrollment of such students).
(Sec. 3) Requires all teachers eligible for student loan forgiveness to be highly qualified, in keeping with requirements under ESEA. Exempts from this requirement teachers who have already begun their teaching service obligation under the current loan forgiveness program, but not for obtaining increased loan amounts.
(Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary to notify local educational agencies eligible to participate in the ESEA's Small Rural Achievement Program of the increased amounts of student loan forgiveness made available to certain teachers by this Act, and to encourage such agencies to notify their teachers of such benefits.
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: 
Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act of 2003 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for additional amounts of student loan forgiveness for certain eligible teachers of: (1) mathematics or science in secondary schools; and (2) special education or reading in elementary and secondary schools. Requires such teachers to be highly qualified and to agree to teach for five consecutive years in schools with high enrollments of students from low-income families.
 
(Sec. 2) Increases to $17,500 the maximum amount of loan forgiveness for such teachers under the Federal Family Education Loan and the Federal Direct Student Loan programs (with the current maximum of $5,000 continuing to apply to teachers of other subjects). Directs the Secretary of Education to pay certain portions of such loan forgiveness at specified stages of their service in the case of those eligible for the increased amount. Requires those qualifying for an increased repayment to teach at a school eligible for assistance under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA title I school) with at least a 40 percent enrollment of students from low-income families (with the current repayment maximum continuing to apply in the case of those who teach at ESEA title I schools with at least a 30 percent enrollment of such students). 
(Sec. 3) Requires all teachers eligible for student loan forgiveness to be highly qualified, in keeping with requirements under ESEA. Exempts from this requirement teachers who have already begun their teaching service obligation under the current loan forgiveness program. States that such exemption shall not apply for purposes of obtaining increased loan amounts. 
(Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary to notify local educational agencies eligible to participate in the ESEA's Small Rural Achievement Program of the increased amounts of student loan forgiveness made available to certain teachers by this Act, and to encourage such agencies to notify their teachers of such benefits.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-07-10
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 417 - 7 (Roll no. 343).
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 417 - 7 (Roll no. 343).
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6419)
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - The Chair put the question on passage of the bill by voice vote and announced that the yeas had prevailed. Mr. Boehner demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair announced that further proceedings were postponed until later in the legislative day.
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 309, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the amendment offered by Mr. George Miller of California.
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 438.
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 438 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. Provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Education and the Workforce now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. Makes in order the amendment printed in House Report 108-189 if offered by Representative George Miller of California or his designee, which shall be considered as read, debatable for ten minutes equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent and not be subject to a demand for a division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 309. (consideration: CR H6383-6393; text of measure as introduced: CR H6383; text of measure as reported in House: CR H6383-6384)
action_date: 2003-07-09
text: Rule H. Res. 309 passed House.
action_date: 2003-07-08
text: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 309 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 438 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. Provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Education and the Workforce now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. Makes in order the amendment printed in House Report 108-189 if offered by Representative George Miller of California or his designee, which shall be considered as read, debatable for ten minutes equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent and not be subject to a demand for a division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.
action_date: 2003-06-26
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 90.
action_date: 2003-06-26
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and the Workforce. H. Rept. 108-182.
action_date: 2003-06-26
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and the Workforce. H. Rept. 108-182.
action_date: 2003-06-10
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2003-06-10
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2003-06-04
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2003-06-04
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2003-03-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.
action_date: 2003-01-29
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2003-01-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E110)
action_date: 2003-01-29
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-01-29
text: Introduced in House