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S5540119th CongressWALLET

PREP Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Kaine, Tim [D-VA]

Introduced

Summary

Create competitive partnerships and yearlong residencies to prepare, mentor, and retain teachers and school leaders, with an emphasis on high‑need, rural, and underrepresented communities. The title funds residency models, Grow Your Own pipelines, and leadership programs tied to measurable preparation and retention outcomes.

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  • Teachers and prospective teachers: Requires year‑long preservice clinical or residency experiences with mentoring, a living stipend or salary for residents, and a service agreement to teach full time for at least 3 years in a high‑need school. Programs must award a master’s and full certification before completion where applicable and include supports for special education and English learners.
  • School leaders and districts: Grants fund preservice leadership training, mentoring, induction, and targeted recruitment of mid‑career and underrepresented candidates, with priority for high‑need LEAs and rural areas. Partnerships must collect retention and working‑conditions data to inform local improvement.
  • Colleges, MSIs, and States: Institutions receiving federal student aid must set goals to address shortage areas and align programs with partnership elements. Grants run 5 years, generally require a 100 percent non‑Federal match (waiver possible), cap administrative costs at 2 percent, set Hawkins Centers grants at a minimum of $500,000, and trigger scaling if title funding reaches $100 million.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

Grants and scholarships for teachers

This bill would create competitive Hawkins Centers of Excellence grants to improve teacher and leader training. Each Hawkins grant would be at least $500,000 and could fund need‑based scholarships up to the cost of attendance for tuition, room and board, licensing, books, and related expenses. Recipients could spend no more than 2% on administration and would report annually on program activities.

Paid teacher residencies and supports

This bill would fund year‑long teaching residencies where residents teach alongside an effective teacher while finishing required coursework. Partnerships could pay living stipends or salaries, mentor stipends, release time, and faculty workload credit, and would provide induction supports for at least the first two years after hire. Grow‑Your‑Own programs could offer extra financial aid beyond Title IV and a residency with a living stipend. Early‑childhood partnerships would have to implement initiatives to increase pay for educators who earn qualifying degrees.

State review and reporting for programs

This bill would require States to assess teacher and leader preparation programs and publish annual lists of low‑performing and at‑risk programs. If a State withdrew approval or ended State support for a program for low performance, that program would not be able to accept students using federal student aid and would have to notify current and prospective students and provide transition help. Institutions that enroll students with federal aid would have to set annual goals and publicly report admissions, test pass rates (or a three‑year average if fewer than 10 scores), retention at 3 and 5 years, and other outcomes. The Secretary could fine institutions up to $27,500 for untimely or inaccurate reporting, and the Secretary could not prescribe a single federal method for identifying low‑performing programs. The bill would also define high‑need schools (elementary schools with at least 50% low‑income students or secondary schools with at least 40%) and allow partner institutions to qualify if at least 80% of graduates planning to teach pass State qualification assessments.

Grants for local educator partnerships

This bill would create competitive five‑year Partnership Grants to prepare and support teachers, school leaders, and early‑childhood educators. A partnership would generally get only one grant in a five‑year period, and the Secretary could cancel grants that did not make substantial progress by the end of year three. Partnerships would have to provide a non‑Federal match equal to 100% of the grant (cash or in‑kind) unless the Secretary waives it for serious hardship. Recipients could use no more than 2% of grant funds for administration and must use grant funds to supplement, not replace, other Federal, State, or local funds.

Higher education funding and duties

This bill would raise several Higher Education Act authorizations, including replacing a $255 million authorization with $265 million for fiscal year 2027 and each year after, and increasing other specified program authorizations. It would also require certain institutions receiving HEA institutional aid or MSI support to establish or enhance teacher and leader preparation programs aligned to the bill's partnership elements and to prepare candidates for certification or licensure. These are authorization and institutional‑duty changes and would not by themselves guarantee that Congress appropriates the money.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Kaine, Tim [D-VA]

VA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]

    ME • R

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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