Expand loan forgiveness, high-retention preparation pathways, and compensation supports to reduce teacher loan burdens and strengthen recruitment and retention¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q3 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

The report recommends five federal, state, and local policy approaches: expanding loan forgiveness and service scholarship programs; expanding affordable high-retention preparation pathways such as residency programs; raising teachers' salaries; bolstering net compensation through tax credits and housing subsidies; and underwriting costs of high-need, advanced credentials. It argues that because "over 90% of outstanding student loans being administered or held by the U.S. Department of Education, the federal government is in a particularly strong position" to act. These recommendations follow directly from the report's findings on debt prevalence, subgroup disparities, and stress.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Federal, state, and local governments and education agencies with authority over loan programs, preparation funding, and compensation policy

Constraints¶

• The report notes existing forgiveness program design and administration present hurdles, such as PSLF payment-counter resets on consolidation and concurrent TLF/PSLF service credit being prohibited

Target Learners¶

• Prospective teacher candidates
• Current full-time public school teachers, especially beginning, special education, and Black teachers

Target Learning Goals¶

• Recruiting and retaining a well-prepared, stable, and diverse teacher workforce to advance student learning and development

Claims¶

• About 60% of teachers repaying student loans report high or very high loan-related stress, which is correlated with overall job-related stress [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Build high-retention, supportive pathways into teaching for candidates of color
• Offer targeted service scholarships, loan forgiveness, and 1-year postbaccalaureate residency programs to rapidly expand the supply of well-prepared teachers in shortage fields and locations
• Establish high-retention preparation pathways—residencies, Grow Your Own models, service scholarships, and mentoring/induction—to stem turnover in high-need subjects and schools
• Deploy a portfolio of research-based strategies — service scholarships, residencies, Grow Your Own programs, mentoring and induction, and compensation reform — to strengthen the teacher pipeline

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• García, E., Wei, W., Patrick, S. K., Leung-Gagné, M., & DiNapoli, M. A., Jr. (2023). In debt: Student loan burdens among teachers. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/497.986