Bill · S. 5540· Senate(119-S-5540)
PREP Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 9/24/2026
- Last activity
- 9/24/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Sponsored by
- Timothy Kaine
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
S. 5540, the Preparing and Retaining Education Professionals Act of 2026, amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to enhance teacher and school leader quality and institutional aid. The bill authorizes competitive partnership grants for teacher preparation, teaching residency programs, Grow Your Own programs, and school leadership programs. It establishes rigorous accountability, evaluation, and reporting measures, including report cards for teacher and school leader preparation programs. Additionally, the legislation provides support for the Honorable Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence to recruit and prepare educators. Finally, the bill updates institutional aid provisions to help various colleges and universities establish or enhance teacher and school leader education programs.
Yes· 3 of 23
Does this put more money into public schools?+7
The legislation authorizes substantial grant funding for teacher and school leader quality enhancement and expands allowable uses for institutional aid at colleges and universities.
Would children be better off under this?+6
Students benefit directly from being taught by better-prepared educators through strengthened teacher preparation and residency programs.
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?+6
Aspiring teachers, recent college graduates, and residency participants receive living stipends, salaries, and structured training pathways.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Strengthened Teacher Preparation: Section 202(d)(1) provides partnership grants for teacher preparation programs to implement reforms that hold programs accountable for preparing new or prospective teachers with essential teaching skills and evidence-based practices. This benefits students by ensuring they are taught by better-prepared educators.
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Financial Support for Residents: Section 202(e)(2)(C) requires teaching residency programs to provide a 1-year living stipend or salary to teaching residents during their program. This benefits aspiring teachers by helping them financially while they complete their training.
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Targeted Workforce Diversity and Shortages: Section 202(f) authorizes Grow Your Own programs to address subject or geographic areas of teacher and school leader shortages and increase the diversity of the workforce. This benefits communities struggling to find qualified educators.
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Increased Institutional Funding: Section 3 amends various sections of the Higher Education Act to allow institutions such as Tribal Colleges, Alaska Native-Serving Institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions to establish or enhance teacher and school leader education programs. This benefits minority-serving institutions by providing explicit authorization to use institutional aid for educator preparation.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Service Repayment Obligations: Section 202(e)(2)(C)(iv) requires teacher residency program participants who receive a stipend or salary to repay the funds with interest if they do not complete their required 3-year service obligation in a high-need school. This places a financial burden on individuals who are unable to complete their service.
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Program Fines: Section 205(a)(3) allows the Secretary to impose a fine of up to $27,500 on an institution of higher education for failing to provide required report card information in a timely or accurate manner. This imposes financial penalties on educational institutions.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Children+6Good For Students+6Good For Young Adults+6Good For African Americans+5Good For Hispanic Americans+5Good For Low Income Households+5Good For Native Americans+5Good For Rural Residents+5Good For Asian Americans+4Good For Middle Aged+4Good For People With Disabilities+4Good For Urban Residents+4Good For Veterans+4Good For Middle Class Households+3
- Education And Technology
- Increases Public School Funding+7Improves College Affordability+5
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+5Improves Poverty Reduction+3
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+4Improves Economic Growth+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+5Increases Federal Power+2
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+4
- 9/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
Susan CollinsRepublican · Maine