SPELL Act
Officially: “SPELL Act” Read the full text
What it does
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1Short title
This section would let the Act be called the Supporting Providers of English Language Learning Act or the SPELL Act.
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Supporting Providers of English Language Learning Act or the SPELL Act .
2Teachers of English learners, bilingual, and dual language students
This section would amend two teacher loan benefit programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to add a new group of teachers who qualify for the enhanced benefits currently available to mathematics, science, and special education teachers: teachers of English learners and bilingual or dual language immersion teachers.
For loan forgiveness under section 428J(c)(3), the paragraph heading listing the eligible subject areas would be changed from "Mathematics, science, or special education" to "Mathematics, science, special education, or English language education." A new eligible category would be added covering an elementary or secondary school teacher who meets the program's other requirements under subsection (b) and whose qualifying employment is either (1) as a teacher of English learners, as that term is defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, whose primary responsibility is teaching those learners, or (2) as a bilingual or dual language immersion teacher. To qualify, the chief administrative officer of the public or nonprofit private elementary or secondary school where the teacher works, or, if the teacher works for an educational service agency, the chief administrative officer of that agency, would have to certify that the teacher is teaching English learners or bilingual or dual language immersion students matching the teacher's training, and that the teacher has demonstrated knowledge and teaching skills in the content areas of the curriculum the teacher is teaching.
For loan cancellation under section 460(c)(3), the same heading change would be made, from "Mathematics, science, or special education" to "Mathematics, science, special education, or English language education," and the same new eligible teacher category, with the same certification requirement, would be added.
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2. Teachers of English learners, bilingual, and dual language students (a) Loan forgiveness for teachers Section 428J(c)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1078–10(c)(3) ) is amended— (1) in the paragraph heading by striking Mathematics, science, or special education and inserting Mathematics, science, special education, or English language education ; (2) in subparagraph (A)(ii) by striking and at the end; (3) in subparagraph (B)(iii) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (4) by adding at the end the following: (C) an elementary school or secondary school teacher— (i) who meets the requirements of subsection (b); (ii) whose qualifying employment for purposes of such subsection is— (I) as a teacher of English learners (as that term is defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7801 )) whose primary responsibility is to teach such learners; or (II) as a bilingual or dual language immersion teacher; and (iii) who, as certified by the chief administrative officer of the public or nonprofit private elementary school or secondary school in which the borrower is employed, or, in the case of a teacher who is employed by an educational service agency, as certified by the chief administrative officer of such agency— (I) is teaching English learners or bilingual or dual language immersion students who correspond with the borrower’s training; and (II) has demonstrated knowledge and teaching skills in the content areas of the elementary school or secondary school curriculum that the borrower is teaching. . (b) Loan cancellation for teachers Section 460(c)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087j(c)(3) ) is amended— (1) in the paragraph heading by striking Mathematics, science, or special education and inserting Mathematics, science, special education, or English language education ; (2) in subparagraph (A)(ii) by striking and at the end; (3) in subparagraph (B)(iii) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (4) by adding at the end the following: (C) an elementary school or secondary school teacher— (i) who meets the requirements of subsection (b); (ii) whose qualifying employment for purposes of such subsection is— (I) as a teacher of English learners (as that term is defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7801 )) whose primary responsibility is to teach such learners; or (II) as a bilingual or dual language immersion teacher; and (iii) who, as certified by the chief administrative officer of the public or nonprofit private elementary school or secondary school in which the borrower is employed, or, in the case of a teacher who is employed by an educational service agency, as certified by the chief administrative officer of such agency— (I) is teaching English learners or bilingual or dual language immersion students who correspond with the borrower’s training; and (II) has demonstrated knowledge and teaching skills in the content areas of the elementary school or secondary school curriculum that the borrower is teaching. .
3Applicability
This section would make the amendments made by section 2 take effect on the date this Act is enacted. Those amendments would apply to individuals who become eligible to receive teacher loan forgiveness under section 428J of the Higher Education Act of 1965 or teacher loan cancellation under section 460 of that Act after the enactment date.
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3. Applicability The amendments made by section 2 shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply with respect to individuals who are eligible to receive teacher loan forgiveness under section 428J of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1078–10 ) or teacher loan cancellation under section 460 of such Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1087j ) after such date.
Where it is
In the House.