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.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3830 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3830
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 11, 2021
Mr. Langevin (for himself, Mr. Grijalva, and Mr. Espaillat) 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 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.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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