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DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-s-5634119th CongressWALLET
SPELL Act
Sponsored By: Senator Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
Introduced
Summary
Expands federal teacher loan relief to educators who teach English learners and bilingual or dual language immersion students. This bill would add those teachers to existing teacher loan forgiveness and cancellation programs and require formal certification that their role matches their training and curriculum knowledge.
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- Teachers: English learner and bilingual/dual language immersion teachers would become eligible for teacher loan forgiveness and loan cancellation if they meet the programs' existing rules and are certified by their school or educational service agency.
- Schools and educational service agencies: Chief administrative officers must certify that a teacher is assigned to EL or bilingual instruction that aligns with the teacher's training and demonstrated content knowledge.
- Borrowers: If enacted, the change would apply to individuals who qualify for forgiveness or cancellation after the law takes effect.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More loan relief for language teachers
If enacted, this bill would expand federal teacher loan forgiveness and loan cancellation to more language teachers. You would be eligible if you are an elementary or secondary teacher whose primary responsibility is teaching English learners, or if you are a bilingual or dual language immersion teacher. You would still need to meet each program's existing subsection (b) requirements. Your school or educational service agency chief administrator would have to certify that you teach students matching your training and that you have demonstrated required curriculum knowledge and teaching skills. The bill ties “English learners” to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act definition. The change would take effect on the date of enactment and apply to people eligible after that date. The bill does not set any dollar amounts for forgiveness or cancellation.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 9/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov