Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill would cancel 100% of federal student loan debt for teachers, school leaders, and early childhood educators who complete five years of service in high-need schools or early childhood education programs. The years of service do not need to be consecutive.
• While educators are working toward their five years, the government would cover their monthly student loan payments and stop interest from building up on their loans. This means zero out-of-pocket loan costs during their service period.
• The bill broadly defines who qualifies: K-12 teachers and principals with full state certification, early childhood educators including Head Start workers and family child care providers, and program directors. Native language instructors are also included even without full certification.
• Educators who already completed qualifying service before this bill becomes law can count those past years toward the five-year requirement. People who received loan forgiveness under the old, smaller program can also apply again for any remaining loans.
• Parent PLUS loans are also covered. If a parent took out a loan for a child who becomes a qualifying educator, that parent gets the same forgiveness benefits. Parents who are themselves qualifying educators also qualify for forgiveness on their PLUS loans.
• The bill's stated purpose is to address teacher shortages in underserved communities by removing debt as a barrier to entering and staying in the profession. High-need schools are defined as those where more than 30% of students come from low-income families.