SPELL Act

Alex Padilla

Democrat · CA · Senator

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Andy Kim (D-NJ)Original· 2026-09-30

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5265)

2026-09-30

Source: Congress.gov

Plain-English summary pending. Introduced on 2026-09-30. Check back soon — summaries are generated as bills progress through Congress.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 5634 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 5634 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide additional amounts of loan forgiveness to teachers of English learners and teachers of bilingual and dual language immersion students, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 30, 2026 Mr. Padilla (for himself and Mr. Kim) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide additional amounts of loan forgiveness to teachers of English learners and teachers of bilingual and dual language immersion students, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Providers of English Language Learning Act'' or the ``SPELL Act''. SEC. 2. TEACHERS OF ENGLISH LEARNERS AND BILINGUAL AND DUAL LANGUAGE STUDENTS. (a) Loan Forgiveness for Teachers.--Section 428J(c)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10(c)(3)) is amended-- (1) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Mathematics, science, or special education'' and inserting ``Mathematics, science, special education, or english language education''; (2) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ``and'' at the end; (3) in subparagraph (B)(iii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and (4) by adding at the end the following: ``(C) an elementary school or secondary school teacher-- ``(i) who meets the requirements of subsection (b); ``(ii) whose qualifying employment for purposes of such subsection is-- ``(I) as a teacher of English learners (as that term is defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) whose primary responsibility is to teach such learners; or ``(II) as a bilingual or dual language immersion teacher; and ``(iii) who, as certified by the chief administrative officer of the public or nonprofit private elementary school or secondary school in which the borrower is employed, or, in the case of a teacher who is employed by an educational service agency, as certified by the chief administrative officer of such agency-- ``(I) is teaching English learners or bilingual or dual language immersion students who correspond with the borrower's training; and ``(II) has demonstrated knowledge and teaching skills in the content areas of the elementary school or secondary school curriculum that the borrower is teaching.''. (b) Loan Cancellation for Teachers.--Section 460(c)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087j(c)(3)) is amended-- (1) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Mathematics, science, or special education'' and inserting ``Mathematics, science, special education, or english language education''; (2) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ``and'' at the end; (3) in subparagraph (B)(iii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and (4) by adding at the end the following: ``(C) an elementary school or secondary school teacher-- ``(i) who meets the requirements of subsection (b); ``(ii) whose qualifying employment for purposes of such subsection is-- ``(I) as a teacher of English learners (as that term is defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) whose primary responsibility is to teach such learners; or ``(II) as a bilingual or dual language immersion teacher; and ``(iii) who, as certified by the chief administrative officer of the public or nonprofit private elementary school or secondary school in which the borrower is employed, or, in the case of a teacher who is employed by an…

educational service agency, as certified by the chief administrative officer of such agency-- ``(I) is teaching English learners or bilingual or dual language immersion students who correspond with the borrower's training; and ``(II) has demonstrated knowledge and teaching skills in the content areas of the elementary school or secondary school curriculum that the borrower is teaching.''. SEC. 3. APPLICABILITY. The amendments made by section 2 shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act and shall apply with respect to individuals who are eligible to receive teacher loan forgiveness under section 428J of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10) or teacher loan cancellation under section 460 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1087j) after such date. <all>

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