Hayes Introduces Bill to Expand Access to Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) introduced the Teacher Debt Relief Act, legislation to make a technical correction to ensure teachers with five years of classroom service can qualify for both the Stafford Student Loan Forgiveness (SSLF) program and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Currently, educators are eligible for partial debt relief after five years of service. However, federal law forbids simultaneous enrollment in the general Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Teacher Loan Forgiveness programs, forcing educators to work for up to an additional 10 to 15 years to qualify for full relief. Part of what compounds the student debt issue for teachers is stagnant salaries for educators. Teachers make $3,644 less on average than they did ten years ago when adjusted for inflation. Additionally, 40% of school districts employing half a million teachers still offer a starting salary below $40,000. Recent actions by the Trump Administration have made accessing Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) even more difficult for teachers. In October, the Administration advanced a final rule that would allow the Secretary of Education to disqualify employers from PSLF for a “substantial illegal purpose.” Under the rule, if a teacher works in a school district that becomes subject to a policy dispute, they could lose their loan forgiveness. “The Trump Administration has made the promise of higher education a distant dream for many by forcing students into unaffordable repayment plans and predatory private loan markets, and threatening access to critical loan forgiveness programs. Federal policy should incentivize teacher recruitment and retention – not create unnecessary burdens that keep educators out of the profession they love,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “With 1 in 8 teaching jobs either unfilled or improperly filled, the need for teacher loan forgiveness is evident.” The Teacher Debt Relief Act is endorsed by the National Education Association (NEA). Congresswoman Hayes has been committed to improving the education profession. She introduced the Respect, Advancement, and Increasing Support for Educators (RAISE) Act to create a tax credit of up to $15,000 for public school teachers. Additionally, she introduced the Teacher Appreciation Week Resolution , legislation affirming that public school teachers should have a seat at the table in education policymaking at all levels, including federal, state, and local decision-making.