Breaking: Senate Passes Sinema Bill Protecting Arizona Teachers From Surprise Loan Charges

Press Release

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Senate unanimously approved Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema's bipartisan Consider Teachers Act--legislation protecting Arizona teachers from costly surprise changes in TEACH grant payment requirements. Sinema's bill-- introduced with Republican Senator Mike Braun (Ind.)--fixes an issue with TEACH grants that mistakenly converted grants awarded to teachers who serve low-income schools into loans which require repayment by reverting all such loans back to grants and dismissing any accumulated interest or fees.

"Arizona teachers receiving TEACH grants serve in low-income schools, helping Arizona students access quality educations across our state. The government made a promise to these teachers--and our commonsense, bipartisan bill ensures the government honors its obligation and protects our teachers from surprise bills," said Sinema.

The TEACH grant program began in 2008 as a way to recruit teachers to teach high-need subjects in low-income, Title I schools. The grant program helps cover education costs for teachers in exchange for commitments that they teach in low-income schools for four years. If they do not make good on that commitment, the grants convert to loans. However, in 2014, a Department of Education review found over 10,000 recipients had their grants converted to loans as a result of errors made by the company hired to manage the program. Sinema heard from Arizona teachers whose grants were erroneously converted to a loan through no fault of their own. Since the TEACH grant program was created, the Department of Education reports that there have been 35,593 TEACH grant awards made--totaling $107,740,051--to students in Arizona.

Sinema's bill is endorsed by the Arizona Education Association and now heads to the U.S. House.

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