Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would establish new Educator Loan Forgiveness Programs that provide 100 percent loan forgiveness after five years of qualifying service. It would also cancel monthly portions of covered loans while educators work in eligible high-need schools and qualifying early childhood programs and stop interest from accruing during that service.
Show full summary
- Educators: Teachers, school leaders, and early childhood staff in high-need schools or eligible programs would get monthly loan reductions while employed and full cancellation of covered loans, interest, and fees after five years. Service can be consecutive or nonconsecutive and promotions in the same school still count toward the five-year total.
- Parent borrowers and families: Parent PLUS loans would qualify if issued for a student who is a qualifying educator or if the parent is a qualifying educator and meets program rules.
- Access and protections: The Education Secretary would make applications and certification pathways available, publish an annual list of high-need schools and programs, allow certain self-certifications for standalone early childhood providers, require outreach to borrowers, and bar repayment demands for educators who leave mid-year or receive overlapping forgiveness benefits.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
More loan relief for educators
If enacted, you could have 100% of your covered federal student loans canceled after five years of qualifying work as an educator. While you perform qualifying service after the Department starts the program, the Department would assume each month’s minimum payment and interest on Direct Loans would not accrue. Parent PLUS loans could qualify if the loan was taken out for a qualifying educator or if the parent is themselves a qualifying educator. The Department must publish an application and start running the program within 270 days after enactment, and some amendments would take effect 180 days after enactment. The bill would not authorize refunds for payments already made and it would bar receiving duplicate benefits for the same service.
Who counts and how to apply
If enacted, more educator types would be able to qualify, including many teachers, school leaders, early childhood staff, and language instructors for Alaska Native, American Indian, and Native Hawaiian languages even if they lack full state or tribal licensure. Part of a school or program year could count if you completed at least half the year and your employer treated the year as fulfilled for salary, tenure, or retirement, and the interruption was for specific reasons like FMLA, military duty, returning to school, or a declared disaster. The Department would publish an annual list of high-need schools and eligible early childhood programs and may use last year’s list if a new list is not ready by May 1. The Department must also publish one application and allow verification by school leaders or other officials, and family child care providers or standalone early childhood directors could self-certify with common documents like a business license or proof of participation in a federal subsidy program.
Faster rulemaking, less negotiation
If enacted, the Secretary of Education would be allowed to skip negotiated rulemaking when making rules to implement this bill. This could speed up program setup and changes, but it would reduce formal negotiated input from stakeholders.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]
NM • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]
MN • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]
NM • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
OR • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/19/2026
Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]
AZ • D
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Sponsored 6/4/2026
Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6]
PA • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8]
NJ • D
Sponsored 8/6/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov