Legislators Introduce Teacher Shortage Bill
June 19, 2019
According to InsiderNJ, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Representatives Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) have reintroduced a bill that seeks to address the nation’s increasingly problematic teacher shortage. The Supporting the Teaching Profession Through Revitalizing Investments in Valuable Educators (STRIVE) Act “would overhaul the student loan forgiveness program by providing incremental loan forgiveness each year to public school teachers who teach in low-income schools,” and after “seven years, such teachers would have their student loans completely cancelled.” The bill “would also increase financial assistance to teachers by reimbursing low-income teachers for their licensing and certification fees which can be upwards of $400” and “boost professional development opportunities for teachers by increasing and mandatorily funding Title II of the Every Student Succeeds Act.