SPELL Act

This bill, known as the SPELL Act, proposes to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to enhance federal student loan forgiveness and cancellation opportunities for specific educators. Its primary goal is to extend additional loan relief to teachers who work with English language learners and those in bilingual or dual language immersion programs . By doing so, the legislation seeks to address the critical need for qualified educators in these specialized fields. Specifically, the bill modifies existing provisions for both teacher loan forgiveness under Section 428J and teacher loan cancellation under Section 460. It expands the categories of eligible educators to include "English language education," alongside mathematics, science, and special education. To qualify, teachers must be certified by their school's chief administrative officer as primarily teaching English learners or bilingual/dual language immersion students, and demonstrate relevant knowledge and skills. These amendments will take effect upon enactment and apply to eligible individuals thereafter.