Beginning Educator Mentorship and Retention Act
Sponsored By: Representative Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
Introduced
Summary
Teacher and school leader mentorship and retention.
Show full summary
This bill would create a competitive federal grant program to fund induction programs that cover the first two years of a teacher’s or school leader’s service. Programs must include mentoring with compensation, protected collaboration and planning time, classroom observations with feedback, evidence-based instructional strategies, and supports for students with disabilities and English learners.
- Early-career teachers and school leaders would get funded induction covering their first two years. Mentors must be compensated and programs must provide planning time, observations with feedback, and job-embedded professional development.
- State educational agencies would run the competitions and must pass at least 90% of grant funds to local subgrantees. Most grants require a 50% nonfederal match, with waivers available for hardship.
- Funding would be targeted to districts with the highest shares of economically disadvantaged students and to schools with the greatest early-career staff turnover. From the federal appropriation, 2% is reserved for program administration and evaluation and 1% is reserved for Bureau of Indian Education–served schools.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Grants for new teachers in high-need schools
If enacted, the bill would create annual competitive grants starting in fiscal year 2027 to fund induction programs for beginning teachers and school leaders. From each year's money, 2% would pay for federal administration and evaluation and 1% would go to the Interior Department for Bureau of Indian Education schools. State education agencies would have to use at least 90% of their grant for subgrants to local partners and keep at least 5% to run the state program. Grants would be targeted to districts with the highest shares of economically disadvantaged students and, when funds are limited, to schools in the top 50% by share of low-income students and those with many new teachers or high turnover. Most grantees would need to provide a 50% non-federal match, and funds must add to—not replace—existing state or local funding. These rules would start in fiscal year 2027.
Two-year induction with paid mentors
If enacted, the bill would require induction programs to run at least the first two years for new teachers and school leaders. Programs would have mentoring, protected planning time, classroom observations with feedback, supports for students with disabilities and English learners, and training on using student data. Subgrantees could use grant funds to pay mentors; mentors must be compensated either through contract duties or extra pay, and mentor requirements and pay must be posted publicly. The bill would also preserve employees' existing collective bargaining and legal rights while requiring compliance with the Act. These rules would take effect in fiscal year 2027.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov