Teachers Are Leaders Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10]
Introduced
Summary
Creates a Teacher Leader Development Program that would fund partnerships to train and credential classroom teachers who take on formal leadership duties while continuing to teach. The program focuses training on proven needs at high-need elementary and secondary schools and ties leadership roles to measurable instructional improvement.
Show full summary
- Teachers: Eligible participants must be fully certified, employed by a high-need local educational agency, and have at least 3 years of teaching experience. Grants may cover training and support for 2 to 3 years and can pay up to 50 percent of a stipend in years 1–2 and up to 33 percent in year 3.
- Professional growth: The program would require one year of intensive development that may include coursework, fieldwork, regular observations, and mentoring, culminating in a teacher leader credential and optional additional years of support.
- Schools and students: Teacher leaders would carry out seven core activities such as curriculum development, peer coaching and observations, family and community engagement, school culture work, dual enrollment instruction, and cultural competency work.
- Partnerships and sustainability: Eligible partnerships must describe how teacher leaders split time between classroom and leadership duties, plan post-program support, and explain how teacher leader roles could be sustained after grant funds end. Programs may require repayment of credential costs if a teacher leaves before completing their service.
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Longer funding window for teacher grants
If enacted, this would authorize funding for FY2025 and the next five years. It would not provide money by itself. Congress would still need to pass annual appropriations.
Training grants for teacher leaders
If enacted, this would fund a Teacher Leader Development Program through competitive grants. Classroom teachers in high-need districts could train while keeping teaching jobs and taking on leadership roles. You must be fully certified, work for the high-need district, have at least 3 years, and apply. Training and support would last 2–3 years; the first year could lead to a teacher leadership credential. Grants could cover part of a stipend only with non-federal matches: up to 50% in years 1–2, and up to 33% in year 3. A partnership could require you to repay credential costs if you do not finish the service term. Schools would also plan how your time is split and how support continues after year one.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10]
IL • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]
IL • D
Sponsored 8/26/2025
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 8/26/2025
Mannion
NY • D
Sponsored 8/26/2025
Rep. Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck" [R-TN-3]
TN • R
Sponsored 8/26/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov