H.R. 8896 · 119th Congress
Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026
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Leger FernandezSponsor17 cosponsors · 17 D
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Bonamici
JC
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Correa
SC
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Carbajal
AC
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Craig
MD
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DeSaulnier
CG
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García
JH
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Hayes
EN
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Norton
SP
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Peters
MS
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Stansbury
LS
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Simon
RT
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Tlaib
AGD
Grijalva
CP
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Pingree
CH
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Houlahan
RM
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Menendez
TC
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Carter10 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
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.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · May 19, 2026
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.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026
Latest action (May 19, 2026): Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Policy area: Education · Origin: House · Introduced: May 19, 2026
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.