Collins, Kaine Introduce Bill to Address Teacher and Principal Shortages

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, reintroduced the Preparing and Retaining Education Professionals (PREP) Act, bipartisan legislation to address teacher and principal shortages, particularly in rural communities, and increase teacher diversity. This legislation would help ensure that there are enough teachers and principals with the right skills and tools to prepare students for the future.

“Teacher and principal shortages at schools across the country, particularly in rural areas in the State of Maine, impede our students’ ability to reach their full potential,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would increase access to high-quality teacher and leader training programs and extend federal support for recruiting well-prepared educators for areas affected by teacher shortages.”

“Our nation’s educators are critical to ensuring students’ success, which is why I’m committed to finding solutions to address teacher and principal shortages in Virginia and across the country,” said Senator Kaine. “I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan bill to expand teacher training programs and help boost diversity among the teacher workforce.”

Data from the U.S. Department of Education show that an overwhelming majority of states report teacher shortages in mathematics, science, and special education—fields that are vital for our economic success. Some persisting factors that contribute to teacher shortages include a lack of qualified applicants and not enough support for advanced training. Research shows that better-prepared teachers stay longer in the profession and are more effective in improving student achievement.

Specifically, the PREP Act would expand the definition of “high need” districts under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to include schools experiencing teacher shortages in rural communities as well as in areas like special education, English language, science, technology, engineering, math, and career and technical education (CTE) in order to give schools access to additional support. It would also encourage school districts to create partnerships, including Grow Your Own programs, with local community colleges and universities to ensure their programs are educating future teachers in areas where there is a shortage of educators. The bill would increase access to teacher and school leader residency programs and preparation training. Further, it would require states to identify areas of teacher or school leader shortages by subject across public schools and use that data to target their efforts.

Full text of the bill is available here. A summary of the bill is available here.

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