This bill, called the Diversify Act, changes the TEACH Grants program in the Higher Education Act. It increases certain grant dollar amounts, allows grant disbursements to be used for the full cost of attendance, and narrows which institutions are included in a statutory definition by excluding institutions described in section 102(a)(1)(A). It changes the written service agreement language and expands where recipients may teach to include high-need early childhood education programs and early childhood education. The bill requires the Secretary to send an electronic certificate when a recipient completes the service requirement and bars the Secretary from creating a monetary penalty for failing or refusing to complete the service requirement. The bill also exempts TEACH Grants from sequestration under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, applying to sequestration orders issued on or after the bill's enactment.
The bill states its purpose is "to remove college cost as a barrier to every student having access to a well-prepared and diverse educator workforce." Proponents would point to the larger grant amounts, use of funds for full cost of attendance, expanded eligible early childhood teaching settings, the prohibition on monetary penalties, issuance of completion certificates, and the sequestration exemption as steps to help reduce financial barriers for future educators.
No publicly available information.