Loan Forgiveness for Head Start Teachers Act of 2003

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2291 Introduced in House (IH)]

108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2291

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend loan forgiveness
for certain loans to Head Start teachers.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 2, 2003

Ms. DeLauro (for herself, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi,
Mr. Serrano, Mr. Holden, Mr. Hinchey, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of
California, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Payne, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Etheridge, Mr.
McGovern, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Acevedo-Vila,
Mrs. Lowey, Ms. Norton, Mrs. Davis of California, Ms. Solis, Ms.
Millender-McDonald, Mr. Filner, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Frank of
Massachusetts, Mr. Olver, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Hastings
of Florida, Mr. Rush, Ms. Woolsey, Mr. Meehan, Ms. Waters, Mr. Pallone,
Mr. Ford, Mr. Berry, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Ms. Lee, Mr. Engel, Mr.
Davis of Illinois, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Owens, and Mr. Clay)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend loan forgiveness
for certain loans to Head Start teachers.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR HEAD START TEACHERS.

(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Loan
Forgiveness for Head Start Teachers Act of 2003''.
(b) Head Start Teachers.--Section 428J of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C 1078-10) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (1) and
inserting the following:
``(1)(A) has been employed--
``(i) as a full-time teacher for 5 consecutive
complete school years in a school that qualifies under
section 465(a)(2)(A) for loan cancellation for Perkins
loan recipients who teach in such a school; or
``(ii) as a Head Start teacher for 5 consecutive
complete program years under the Head Start Act; and
``(B)(i) if employed as a secondary school teacher, is
teaching a subject area that is relevant to the borrower's
academic major as certified by the chief administrative officer
of the public or nonprofit private secondary school in which
the borrower is employed;
``(ii) if employed as an elementary school teacher, has
demonstrated, as certified by the chief administrative officer
of the public or nonprofit private elementary school in which
the borrower is employed, knowledge and teaching skills in
reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the
elementary school curriculum; and
``(iii) if employed as a Head Start teacher, has
demonstrated knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing,
early childhood development, and other areas of a preschool
curriculum, with a focus on cognitive learning; and'';
(2) in subsection (g), by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Head start.--An individual shall be eligible for loan
forgiveness under this section for service described in clause
(ii) of subsection (b)(1)(A) only if such individual received a
baccalaureate or graduate degree on or after the date of
enactment of the Loan Forgiveness for Head Start Teachers Act
of 2003.''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007 and
succeeding fiscal years to carry out loan repayment under this section
for service described in clause (ii) of subsection (b)(1)(A).''.
(c) Direct Student Loan Forgiveness.--
(1) In general.--Section 460 of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C 1087j) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b)(1), by striking subparagraph
(A) and inserting the following:
``(A)(i) has been employed--
``(I) as a full-time teacher for 5
consecutive complete school years in a school
that qualifies under section 465(a)(2)(A) for
loan cancellation for Perkins loan recipients
who teach in such a school; or
``(II) as a Head Start teacher for 5
consecutive complete program years under the
Head Start Act; and
``(ii)(I) if employed as a secondary school
teacher, is teaching a subject area that is relevant to
the borrower's academic major as certified by the chief
administrative officer of the public or nonprofit
private secondary school in which the borrower is
employed;
``(II) if employed as an elementary school teacher,
has demonstrated, as certified by the chief
administrative officer of the public or nonprofit
private elementary school in which the borrower is
employed, knowledge and teaching skills in reading,
writing, mathematics, and other areas of the elementary
school curriculum; and
``(III) if employed as a Head Start teacher, has
demonstrated knowledge and teaching skills in reading,
writing, early childhood development, and other areas
of a preschool curriculum, with a focus on cognitive
learning; and'';
(B) in subsection (g), by adding at the end the
following:
``(3) Head start.--An individual shall be eligible for loan
forgiveness under this section for service described in
subclause (II) of subsection (b)(1)(A)(i) only if such
individual received a baccalaureate or graduate degree on or
after the date of enactment of the Loan Forgiveness for Head
Start Teachers Act of 2003.''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(i) Authorization of appropriations.--
There are authorized to be appropriated such
sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007
and succeeding fiscal years to carry out loan
repayment under this section for service
described in subclause (II) of subsection
(b)(1)(A)(i).''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--Section 460 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087j) is amended--
(A) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ``or fifth
complete program year'' after ``fifth complete school
year of teaching'';
(B) in subsection (f), by striking ``subsection
(b)'' and inserting ``subsection (b)(1)(A)(i)(I)'';
(C) in subsection (g)(1)(A), by striking
``subsection (b)(1)(A)'' and inserting ``subsection
(b)(1)(A)(i)(I)''; and
(D) in subsection (h), by inserting ``except as
part of the term `program year','' before ``where''.
(d) Conforming Amendments.--Section 428J of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ``or fifth complete
program year'' after ``fifth complete school year of
teaching'';
(2) in subsection (f), by striking ``subsection (b)'' and
inserting ``subsection (b)(1)(A)(i)'';
(3) in subsection (g)(1)(A), by striking ``subsection
(b)(1)(A)'' and inserting ``subsection (b)(1)(A)(i)''; and
(4) in subsection (h), by inserting ``except as part of the
term `program year','' before ``where''.
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