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Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide enhanced student loan relief to educators, and for other purposes.
- Introduced
- Committee
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To President
- Became law
Summary
Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026
This bill expands loan forgiveness for educators by revising the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program. The program provides loan forgiveness (up to $17,500) for teachers who are highly qualified, teach full-time in a low-income elementary or secondary school or educational service agency, and complete five years of consecutive service.
Specifically, the bill renames the program as the Educator Loan Forgiveness Programs.
Additionally, the bill expands the program by making additional loan types eligible for benefits under the program (e.g., Parent PLUS Loans).
Further, the bill expands program eligibility to early childhood educators and program directors serving in early childhood education programs and school leaders serving in public high-need schools.
The bill requires the Department of Education to
- make monthly student loan payments on behalf of the educator during qualifying service (i.e., employment as a full-time qualifying educator in a high-need school or an early childhood education program),
- provide complete loan forgiveness after five years of qualifying service (which does not have to be consecutive), and
- take steps to notify borrowers about changes to the program.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Actions
- May 19, 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- May 19, 2026 Introduced in Senate
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