Addressing Teacher Shortages Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Tina Smith
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create federal grants to tackle teacher shortages, funding local educational agencies and partnerships to build residency programs, mentoring, Grow Your Own pathways, and 2+2 pipelines.
Show full summary
- Teachers and early-career educators: Would fund residencies, mentor programs, induction supports, student-teaching stipends, tuition forgiveness, and pay for leadership roles to help recruit and retain teachers. Grantees must track retention at 3 and 5 years.
- Rural communities and high-need subjects: Would reserve not less than 25% of funds for rural LEAs and not less than 25% for high-need subject areas like STEM, special education, and English as a second language.
- Local districts and colleges: Would award at least 5-year grants to eligible LEAs or consortia, allow 1-year planning grants, require nonfederal matching equal to the grant unless reduced or waived, and direct the Secretary to assign staff to help under-resourced applicants. It would also encourage recognizing teaching as a Career and Technical Education pathway.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Easier routes for future teachers
If enacted, the bill would widen who can participate in program-funded pathways. Eligible entities would be LEAs or consortia. A 2+2 program would let community colleges fully transfer teacher preparation credits to 4‑year programs. Teaching residencies could lead to a bachelor's or a master's without requiring a master’s before completion. The induction definition would require a qualified mentor, observation and feedback, and assessment and classroom-engagement data to shape supports. The bill would set minimum mentor qualifications and list mentor duties.
New federal grants to hire teachers
If enacted, the Department of Education would run a competitive grant program to reduce teacher shortages. The bill would authorize "such sums as may be necessary" for fiscal years 2027–2032. The Secretary would reserve 5% of funds for Bureau of Indian Education schools. From the remaining funds, not less than 25% would go to rural shortages, 25% to high-need subject shortages, and 25% to diversify the teacher workforce, as practicable. Main grants must last at least 5 years and could be renewed for grantees that show positive results. The Secretary could also award 1-year planning grants and give priority to partnerships with minority-serving institutions and programs that train current LEA employees with 3+ years service.
Grants for teacher pay and training
If enacted, grant recipients would be allowed to pay for residency programs, mentor incentives, and direct supports for teacher candidates and early-career teachers. Grants could pay resident salaries, tuition forgiveness in exchange for at least a 3-year teaching commitment, mentor pay, student-teacher stipends, and housing allowances tied to shortage placements. Grants could also fund Grow Your Own pipelines, 2+2 transfer pathways, STEM-to-teaching incentives, induction for the first two years, technology-enabled professional development, and credential supports like National Board work. If an entity offers both student-teacher assistance and first/second-year teacher stipends, student-teacher assistance must be prioritized.
Grant reporting and evaluation rules
If enacted, applicants would need an evaluation plan with measurable objectives. Plans must track educator retention at years 3 and 5, licensure pass rates or reliable teacher assessment results, hires by high-need LEAs, and percentages of participants from underrepresented groups and in high-need fields and schools (broken out by elementary and secondary). Grantees would file reports at the end of year 3 and year 5, and yearly for any renewal years or years after year 5. The Secretary would report to Congress within two years and every two years after that.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Tina Smith
MN • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in