A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a scholarship program for educators of rural students and provide for loan forgiveness for rural educators, to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide professional development grants for rural elementary schools and secondary schools, and for other purposes.
Rural Educator Support and Training Act or the REST Act
This bill establishes several new grant programs for students who are training at institutions of higher education to become educators in rural schools and provides additional federal student loan forgiveness for rural educators.
Specifically, the Department of Education (ED) must award undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships to students who are studying to become educators in rural schools and who agree to serve such schools for three or more years.
ED may also award grants to eligible educational agencies for the purpose of (1) reimbursing eligible rural educators for out-of-pocket costs associated with obtaining national board certification, and (2) increasing annual compensation for eligible rural educators who have become certified.
In addition, a teacher who is employed for five consecutive years in a rural school shall be eligible for up to $17,500 in federal student loan forgiveness.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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