Beginning Educator Mentorship and Retention Act

Key Points

• This bill creates a competitive federal grant program for states to set up structured mentoring and induction programs for new public school teachers and principals during their first two years on the job. At least 90% of grant funds must flow to local school districts as subgrants.
• When funding is limited, the bill requires states to prioritize schools with the highest poverty rates, the most new teachers, or the worst teacher turnover. Schools serving large shares of economically disadvantaged students get first priority.
• Experienced teachers and school leaders who serve as mentors must receive fair compensation through reduced workloads, salary increases, or stipends. Mentors must have at least 3 years of experience and demonstrated high skill.
• Research cited in the bill shows that about 1 in 5 novice teachers left their school or quit teaching after just one year, and that two-year mentoring programs significantly reduce turnover while boosting student learning in reading and math.
• States receiving grants must generally match 50% of the federal funding, though the Secretary of Education can waive this requirement for states hit by natural disasters, financial crises, or other exceptional circumstances. The program is authorized starting in fiscal year 2027.
• The bill sets aside 1% of funding for the Bureau of Indian Education to run similar induction programs, and 2% for program administration, evaluation, and technical assistance to states.