A Democratic bill with 14 Democratic cosponsors · See all 14 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026 aims to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide debt relief to educators. It establishes programs to assume or cancel student loan obligations for those serving in high need schools or early childhood education programs. Qualifying educators can receive 100 percent forgiveness of their covered loans after completing five years of qualifying service. The bill also provides for monthly loan relief during the period of qualifying service. This relief applies to various educators, including teachers, school leaders, and early childhood providers.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +7
Does this make college cost less?
The bill provides 100 percent loan forgiveness and monthly relief for qualifying educators after five years of service.
- Scored +6
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
The debt relief benefits those in the early stages of their careers, such as teachers and school leaders.
- Scored +5
Would middle-income households be better off under this?
The debt relief provides financial relief to educator households managing student loans.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes the Secretary to assume or cancel significant amounts of student loan debt.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Debt Elimination for Educators: Qualifying educators who complete five years of service can have 100 percent of their covered loan obligations, including interest and fees, assumed or canceled by the Secretary (Section 2(a)(c)(1) and Section 2(b)(c)(1)).
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Monthly Financial Relief: While performing qualifying service, educators can enter into an agreement where the Secretary assumes or cancels the minimum monthly loan obligation, providing relief during school years and scheduled breaks (Section 2(a)(c)(2) and Section 2(b)(c)(2)).
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Support for Families: The bill allows Parent PLUS loans to qualify for benefits if they were issued on behalf of a student who is a qualifying educator, or if the parent themselves is a qualifying educator (Section 2(a)(c)(4) and Section 2(b)(c)(4)).
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Protection for Career Advancement: Educators who are promoted to other positions within their qualifying school or program can continue to count that employment toward their service requirements (Section 2(a)(g)(3) and Section 2(b)(g)(3)).
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Inclusive Eligibility for Language Educators: Educators providing instruction or curricular development in specific Native languages, such as Alaska Native, American Indian, or Native Hawaiian, can be considered qualifying educators even without full State or Tribal certification (Section 2(i)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Service Continuity Risks: If an educator is unable to complete a full school year, they must meet specific exceptions—such as returning to postsecondary education, experiencing specific medical/family conditions, or being called to active duty—to have that time count toward their service (Section 2(h)(9)(B)).
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Benefit Limitations: Qualifying educators are prohibited from receiving these benefits if they are already receiving benefits under section 428K or certain provisions of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (Section 2(g)(2)).
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No Retroactive Refunds: The act specifically states that nothing in the new provisions authorizes the refunding of any loan repayments already made (Section 2(a)(e) and Section 2(b)(e)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The debt relief benefits those in the early stages of their careers, such as teachers and school leaders. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The debt relief provides financial relief to educator households managing student loans. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill specifically includes service at Bureau of Indian Education schools and Tribal educational agencies. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill targets high-need schools which often serve lower-income populations. Would retired people be better off under this? — The bill allows for the counting of prior service toward current loan forgiveness goals. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill provides significant financial benefits to professionals in the education workforce.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — The bill provides 100 percent loan forgiveness and monthly relief for qualifying educators after five years of service.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make child care cost less? — The bill provides debt relief for early childhood education providers, which can support the childcare workforce.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill aims to develop a more stable educator workforce through debt relief. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes the Secretary to assume or cancel significant amounts of student loan debt.
- 6/1/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/19/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 13 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
5 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Tammy BaldwinDemocrat · Wisconsin
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Ruben GallegoDemocrat · Arizona
Martin HeinrichDemocrat · New Mexico
Mark KellyDemocrat · Arizona
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
John ReedDemocrat · Rhode Island
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon