,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #aaeg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,april #aa1    
#bjai,mr4 ,tester 7for himself and ,mr4 
,kaine7 introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,health1 ,education1     
,labor1 and ,pensions  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
amend the ,higher ,education ,act of    
#aife to establish a scholarship program
 for educators of rural students and    
provide for loan forgiveness for rural  
educators1 to amend the ,elementary and 
,secondary ,education ,act of #aife to  
provide professional development grants 
for rural elementary schools and        
secondary schools1 and for other        
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,rural ,educator    
,support and ,training ,act or the      
,,rest ,act4  ,i ,student assistance  ,a
 ,scholarships for the study of         
education and school administration     
#aja4 ,scholarship programs for         
educators of rural students ,part ,b of 

title ,,ii of the ,higher ,education    
,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajca et   
seq47 is amended by adding at the end   
the following3  #f ,rural educator      
scholarship program  #bei4 ,purpose2    
definition of ,bureau-funded school  7a7
 ,purpose ,the purpose of this subpart  
is to provide a more stable base of     
education professionals to serve in     
rural public elementary schools and     
secondary schools1 local educational    
agencies1 and ,state educational        
agencies4  7b7 ,bureau-,funded school   
,in this subpart1 the term              
,bureau-funded school has the meaning   
given the term in section #aada of the  
,education ,amendments of #aigh 7#be    
,u4,s4,c4 #bjba74  #bei;,a4 ,terms and  
conditions of contracts for scholarship 
grants  7a7 ,in general ,unless         
otherwise specified1 a scholarship grant
 under this subpart shall have the terms
 and conditions described in this       
section4  7b7 ,contents of contract     
7#a7 ,in general ,the written contract  

between the ,secretary and the          
individual receiving a scholarship grant
 under this subpart shall contain the   
following3  7,a7 ,a statement that the  
,secretary agrees to provide the        
individual with a scholarship in        
accordance with section #bei;,b or      
#bei;,c1 as the case may be4  7,b7 ,a   
statement that the individual agrees--  
7i7 to accept the relevant scholarship  
under this subpart2  7ii7 to maintain   
enrollment in the course of study for   
which the scholarship was awarded until 
the individual completes the course of  
study2  7iii7 while enrolled in such    
course of study1 to maintain an         
acceptable level of academic standing   
7as determined by the ,secretary1 taking
 into account the requirements of the   
institution of higher education offering
 such course of study72 and  7iv7 to    
serve1 through full-time employment at  
an eligible school or eligible service  
employer 7as described under section    
#bei;,b or #bei;,c1 as the case may be71

 for a time period 7referred to in this 
section as the period of obligated      
service7 equal to the greater of--  7,i7
 #a year for the equivalent of each     
school year for which the individual was
 provided a scholarship under this      
subpart2 or  7,,ii7 #c years4  7,c7 ,a  
statement of the damages to which the   
,united ,states is entitled1 under      
subsection 7d71 for the individual's    
breach of the contract4  7,d7 ,any other
 relevant statements of the rights and  
liabilities of the ,secretary and of the
 individual1 in accordance with the     
provisions of this subpart4  7#b7       
,period of obligated service  7,a7 ,in  
general ,the recipient of a scholarship 
grant under this subpart shall be       
required to carry out a period of       
obligated service1 as described in      
paragraph 7#a77;,b77iv74  7,b7          
,deferment  7i7 ,in general ,at the     
request of an individual who has entered
 into a contract described in this      
subsection1 the ,secretary shall grant a

 deferment for the period of obligated  
service of such individual under such   
contract for any of the following       
reasons3  7,i7 ,advanced study ,for     
advanced study to enable such individual
 to complete a course of study leading  
to an advanced degree in elementary or  
secondary education or school           
administration1 or needed to become     
certified by a ,state or ,indian tribe  
to teach1 for an appropriate period 7in 
years1 as determined by the ,secretary74
  7,,ii7 ,family and medical leave ,for 
family or medical leave for a period in 
alignment with section #ajb of the      
,family and ,medical ,leave ,act of     
#aiic 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bfab7 and as      
approved by the ,secretary4  7,,iii7    
,military service ,if the individual is 
a member of the ,national ,guard or     
other reserve component of the ,armed   
,forces of the ,united ,states1 or a    
member of such ,armed ,forces in a      
retired status1 and such individual is  
called or ordered to active duty 7as    

defined in section #aja7;d77#a7 of title
 #aj1 ,united ,states ,code71 such      
individual shall be eligible for a      
deferment during the period of active   
duty and for an appropriate period 7as  
determined by the ,secretary7 after     
returning from active duty4  7ii7       
,conditions of deferment ,a deferment   
granted under clause 7i7 shall be       
subject to the following conditions3    
7,i7 ,the deferment period shall not be 
counted as satisfying any period of     
obligated service that is required under
 this section4  7,,ii7 ,the period of   
obligated service of the individual     
shall commence at the later of-- 7aa7   
#ij days after the completion of the    
deferment period2  7bb7 the commencement
 of the first school year at the school 
where the individual has been hired that
 begins after the completion of the     
deferment2 or  7cc7 a date specified by 
the ,secretary4  7,c7 ,part-time study  
,in the case of an individual receiving 
a scholarship under this subpart who is 

enrolled part-time in an approved course
 of study--  7i7 a scholarship under    
this subpart shall be for a period of   
years not to exceed the part-time       
equivalent of #d years1 as determined by
 the ,secretary2  7ii7 the period of    
obligated service shall be equal to the 
greater of-- 7,i7 #a year for the       
equivalent of each full-time academic   
year for which the individual was       
provided a scholarship 7as determined by
 the ,secretary by adding the fractions 
of a full-time academic year that each  
period of part-time attendance          
comprises72 or  7,,ii7 #c years2 and    
7iii7 the amount of the monthly stipend 
specified in subsection 7c7 shall be    
reduced pro rata1 as determined by the  
,secretary1 based on the number of hours
 of study in which such individual is   
enrolled4  7c7 ,scholarship  7#a7 ,in   
general ,a scholarship provided to a    
student under this subpart for a school 
year shall equal the amount of-- 7,a7   
the tuition of the student2  7,b7 all   

other reasonable educational expenses   
incurred by the student in such school  
year1 including fees1 books1 laboratory 
expenses1 and other expenses as         
determined by the ,secretary2 and  7,c7 
a stipend of #hjj per month 7adjusted in
 accordance with paragraph 7#c77 for    
each of the #ab consecutive months      
beginning with the first month of such  
school year4  7#b7 ,payment to an       
institution of higher education ,the    
,secretary may contract with an         
institution of higher education in which
 a participant in the scholarship       
program under this subpart is enrolled  
for the payment to such institution on  
behalf of the student of the amounts of 
tuition and other reasonable educational
 expenses described in subparagraphs    
7,a7 and 7,b7 of paragraph 7#a74        
,payment to such institution may be made
 without regard to subsections 7a7 and  
7b7 of section #ccbd of title #ca1      
,united ,states ,code4  7#c7 ,stipend   
,the amount of the monthly stipend      

described in paragraph 7#a77;,c7 shall  
be increased by the ,secretary for each 
school year ending in a fiscal year     
beginning after ,september #cj1 #bjah1  
by the amount 7rounded to the next      
highest multiple of #a7 equal to the    
amount of such stipend multiplied by the
 percentage adjustment in the rates of  
pay under the ,general ,schedule taking 
effect under section #ecjc of title #e1 
,united ,states ,code1 during the fiscal
 year in which such school year ends 7if
 such adjustment is an increase74  7d7  
,liability2 failure ,to complete the    
period of obligated service2 repayment  
7#a7 ,liability ,an individual who has  
entered into a written contract with the
 ,secretary under this section shall be 
liable to the ,united ,states for the   
amount that has been paid to1 or on     
behalf of1 such individual under the    
contract1 if such individual--  7,a7    
fails to maintain an acceptable level of
 academic standing in the institution of
 higher education in which the          

individual is enrolled 7as determined by
 the ,secretary taking into account the 
requirements of the institution of      
higher education offering such course of
 study72  7,b7 is dismissed from such   
institution of higher education for     
disciplinary reasons2  7,c7 voluntarily 
terminates the training in such         
institution of higher education for     
which such individual is provided a     
scholarship under such contract before  
the completion of such training2 or     
7,d7 fails to accept payment1 or        
instructs the institution of higher     
education in which such individual is   
enrolled not to accept payment1 under   
this section4  7#b7 ,failure to complete
 the period of obligated service ,an    
individual who has entered into a       
written contract with the ,secretary    
under this section may petition the     
,secretary to delay the date on which   
the individual would otherwise be       
required to begin the period of         
obligated service if such individual has

 not succeeded in obtaining employment  
required by this section4 ,in support of
 such petition1 the individual shall    
supply such reasonable information as   
the ,secretary may require4 ,the        
,secretary shall retain full discretion 
regarding the decision about whether to 
grant or decline such a delay and to    
determine the duration of any delay that
 is granted4  7#c7 ,repayment  7,a7 ,in 
general ,an individual who has entered  
into a written contract with the        
,secretary under this section and who is
 liable for any amount of damages which 
the ,united ,states is entitled to      
recover under this subsection shall--   
7i7 begin payment of such damages to the
 ,united ,states within #a year of the  
date of the breach or on such later date
 as specified by the ,secretary2 and    
7ii7 repay the amount of such damages in
 full following a schedule and by a     
deadline determined by the ,secretary4  
7,b7 ,recovery of damages ,if damages   
described in subparagraph 7,a7 are      

delinquent for #c months1 the ,secretary
 shall1 for the purpose of recovering   
such damages--  7i7 utilize collection  
agencies contracted with by the         
,administrator of the ,general ,services
 ,administration2 or  7ii7 enter into   
contracts for the recovery of such      
damages with collection agencies        
selected by the ,secretary4  7,c7       
,contracts for recovery of damages ,each
 contract for recovering damages        
pursuant to this paragraph shall provide
 that the contractor will1 not less than
 once every #f months1 submit to the    
,secretary a status report on the       
success of the contractor in collecting 
such damages4 ,section #cgah of title   
#ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall apply 
to any such contract to the extent not  
inconsistent with this subsection4  7#d7
 ,death ,upon the death of an individual
 who receives1 or has received1 a       
scholarship under this subpart1 any     
obligation of such individual for       
service or payment that relates to such 

scholarship shall be canceled4  7#e7    
,waiver  7,a7 ,required waiver ,the     
,secretary shall provide for the partial
 or total waiver or suspension of any   
obligation of service or payment of a   
recipient of a scholarship under this   
subpart1 if the ,secretary determines   
that--  7i7 it is not possible for the  
recipient to meet the obligation or make
 the payment2  7ii7 requiring the       
recipient to meet the obligation or make
 the payment would result in extreme    
hardship to the recipient2 or  7iii7 the
 enforcement of the requirement to meet 
the obligation or make the payment would
 be unconscionable4  7,b7 ,permissible  
waiver ,notwithstanding any other       
provision of law1 for other good cause  
shown1 the ,secretary may waive1 in     
whole or in part1 the right of the      
,united ,states to recover funds made   
available under this section4  7#f7     
,bankruptcy  7,a7 ,in general ,subject  
to subparagraph 7,b71 and               
notwithstanding any other provision of  

law1 with respect to a recipient of a   
scholarship under this subpart1 no      
obligation for payment may be released  
by a discharge in bankruptcy under title
 #aa4  7,b7 ,exception ,the prohibition 
described in subparagraph 7,a7 shall not
 apply if-- 7i7 such discharge is       
granted after the expiration of the     
#e-year period beginning on the initial 
date on which that payment is due2 and  
7ii7 the bankruptcy court finds that the
 nondischarge of the obligation would be
 unconscionable4  7e7 ,applicability of 
other provisions ,notwithstanding any   
other provision of law1 an individual   
receiving a scholarship under this      
subpart shall continue to be eligible   
for any other grant programs and loan   
forgiveness programs for which the      
individual would otherwise be eligible4 
#bei;,b4 ,rural student educator        
scholarship program  7a7 ,grants        
authorized  7#a7 ,in general ,the       
,secretary shall provide to each        
eligible applicant who is accepted for a

 scholarship under this section with a  
scholarship grant in each school year or
 years for a period during which such   
individual is pursuing a course of study
 in elementary or secondary education or
 school administration at an institution
 of higher education4  7#b7 ,designation
 ,scholarships made under paragraph 7#a7
 shall be designated rural student      
educator scholarships4  7b7 ,eligibility
  7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall
 select which eligible applicants will  
receive a rural student educator        
scholarship under subsection 7a74  7#b7 
,criteria ,in order to be eligible to   
receive a rural student educator        
scholarship1 an individual shall-- 7,a7 
be accepted for enrollment1 or be       
enrolled1 as a full-time or part-time   
student in a course of study in         
elementary or secondary education or    
school administration at an institution 
of higher education2  7,b7 submit an    
application to participate in the rural 
educator scholarship program at such    

time and in such manner as the          
,secretary shall determine2 and  7,c7   
sign and submit to the ,secretary1 at   
the time that such application is       
submitted1 a written contract as        
described in section #bei;,a7b71 which  
shall include a commitment to serve     
through full-time employment at an      
eligible school for the period of       
obligated service4  7c7 ,eligible       
schools ,an individual shall be         
considered to be serving1 through       
full-time employment at an eligible     
school1 as required under section       
#bei;,a7b77#a77;,b77iv71 if the         
individual is employed full-time in a   
public elementary school or secondary   
school that is served by a local        
educational agency that is eligible to  
receive assistance under part ,b of     
title ,v of the ,elementary and         
,secondary ,education ,act of #aife4    
7d7 ,placement assistance ,the          
,secretary shall assist the recipient of
 a rural educator scholarship in        

learning about placement opportunities  
in eligible schools by transmitting the 
name and educational credentials of such
 recipient to--  7#a7 ,state educational
 agency clearinghouses for recruitment  
and placement of kindergarten1          
elementary school1 and secondary school 
teachers and administrators in ,states  
receiving assistance under title ,v of  
the ,elementary and ,secondary          
,education ,act of #aife2  7#b7         
elementary schools and secondary schools
 that are ,bureau-funded schools2 and   
7#c7 tribal education agencies4         
#bei;,c4 ,rural educator graduate       
fellowship program  7a7 ,grants         
authorized  7#a7 ,in general ,the       
,secretary shall make scholarship grants
 in accordance with this section to     
individuals who are enrolled on a       
full-time or part-time basis in         
institutions of higher education and    
pursuing a graduate level course of     
study in education or school            
administration4  7#b7 ,designation      

,scholarships made under paragraph 7#a7 
shall be designated rural educator      
graduate fellowships4  7b7 ,eligibility 
7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall  
select which eligible applicants will   
receive a rural educator graduate       
fellowship under subsection 7a74  7#b7  
,criteria ,in order to be eligible to   
receive a rural educator graduate       
fellowship1 an individual shall-- 7,a7  
be accepted for enrollment1 or be       
enrolled1 as a full-time or part-time   
student in a graduate level course of   
study in education or school            
administration at an institution of     
higher education2  7,b7 submit an       
application to participate in the rural 
educator graduate fellowship program at 
such time and in such manner as the     
,secretary shall determine2 and  7,c7   
sign and submit to the ,secretary1 at   
the time that such application is       
submitted1 a written contract as        
described in section #bei;,a1 which     
shall include a commitment to serve     

through full-time employment at an      
eligible service employer for the period
 of obligated service4  7c7 ,eligible   
service employers ,an individual shall  
be considered to be serving1 through    
full-time employment at an eligible     
service employer1 as required under     
section #bei;,a7b77#a77;,b77iv71 if the 
individual is employed full-time in a   
public elementary school or secondary   
school that is served by a local        
educational agency that is eligible to  
receive assistance under part ,b of     
title ,v of the ,elementary and         
,secondary ,education ,act of #aife4    
7d7 ,placement assistance ,the          
,secretary shall assist the recipient of
 a rural educator graduate fellowship in
 learning about placement opportunities 
in eligible service employers in such   
manner as the ,secretary determines     
appropriate4  4  ,b ,loan forgiveness   
for rural educators  #aaa4 ,loan        
forgiveness for educators teaching in   
rural local educational agencies  7a7   

,part b loans ,section #dbh;,j of the   
,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj   
,u4,s4,c4 #ajgh-aj7 is amended-- 7#a7 in
 subsection 7b77#a71 by inserting       
subject to subsection 7c77#d71 before   
has been employed2 and  7#b7 in         
subsection 7c71 by adding at the end the
 following3  7#d7 ,additional amounts   
for teachers in rural local educational 
agencies ,notwithstanding the amount    
specified in paragraph 7#a7 and the     
requirements under subparagraphs 7,a7   
and 7,b7 of subsection 7b77#a71 the     
aggregate amount that the ,secretary    
shall repay under this section shall be 
not more than #ag1ejj in the case of a  
borrower who has been employed as a     
full-time teacher for #e consecutive    
complete school years in a public       
elementary school or secondary school   
that is served by a local educational   
agency that is eligible to receive      
assistance under part ,b of title ,v of 
the ,elementary and ,secondary          
,education ,act of #aife4  4  7b7 ,part 

d loans ,section #dfj of the ,higher    
,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 
#ajhg;j7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection
 7b77#a71 by inserting subject to       
paragraphs 7#d7 and 7#e7 of subsection  
7c71 before has been employed2 and  7#b7
 in subsection 7c71 by adding at the end
 the following3  7#d7 ,additional       
amounts for teachers in rural local     
educational agencies ,notwithstanding   
the amount specified in paragraph 7#a7  
and the requirements under subparagraphs
 7,a7 and 7,b7 of subsection 7b77#a71   
the aggregate amount that the ,secretary
 shall cancel under this section shall  
be not more than #ag1ejj in the case of 
a borrower who has been employed as a   
full-time teacher for #e consecutive    
complete school years in a public       
elementary school or secondary school   
that is served by a local educational   
agency that is eligible to receive      
assistance under part ,b of title ,v of 
the ,elementary and ,secondary          
,education ,act of #aife4  4  ,,ii      

,institutional aid  #bja4 ,national     
board certification incentive program   
,part ,b of title ,v of the ,elementary 
and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 
7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #gcda et seq47 is amended
 by adding at the end the following3  #d
 ,national board certification incentive
 program  #ebda4 ,national board        
certification incentive program  7a7    
,purposes ,the purposes of this section 
are-- 7#a7 to improve the skills of     
qualified individuals who teach rural   
students2  7#b7 to provide an incentive 
for qualified teachers to continue to   
utilize their enhanced skills in        
elementary schools and secondary schools
 serving rural communities2 and  7#c7 to
 increase the retention of highly       
skilled teachers in rural elementary    
schools and secondary schools4  7b7     
,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7     
,eligible educators ,the term eligible  
educator means a teacher who teaches in 
a public elementary school or secondary 
school that is served by a local        

educational agency that is eligible to  
receive assistance under this part4     
7#b7 ,eligible entities ,the term       
eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a ,state   
educational agency that is eligible to  
receive assistance under this part1 in  
consortium with an institution of higher
 education2  7,b7 a local educational   
agency that is eligible to receive      
assistance under this part1 in          
consortium with an institution of higher
 education2 or  7,c7 an ,indian tribe or
 organization1 in consortium with a     
local educational agency that is        
eligible to receive assistance under    
this part and an institution of higher  
education4  7#c7 ,indian tribe ,the term
 ,indian tribe has the meaning given the
 term in section #d of the ,indian      
,self-,determination and ,education     
,assistance ,act4  7c7 ,program         
authorized ,the ,secretary is authorized
 to award grants to eligible entities   
having applications approved under this 
section to enable such eligible entities

 to--  7#a7 reimburse eligible educators
 for out-of-pocket costs associated with
 obtaining teacher certification or     
credentialing by the ,national ,board   
for ,professional ,teaching ,standards2 
and  7#b7 provide an increase in annual 
compensation1 in an amount equal to not 
less than #e1jjj and not more than      
#aj1jjj1 for eligible educators with a  
certification from the ,national ,board 
for ,professional ,teaching ,standards  
for the duration of the grant under this
 section4  7d7 ,application ,each       
eligible entity desiring a grant under  
this section shall submit an application
 to the ,secretary at such time1 in such
 manner1 and accompanied by such        
information1 as the ,secretary may      
reasonably require4  7e7 ,awarding of   
grants  7#a7 ,in general ,in awarding   
grants under this section1 the          
,secretary shall determine the amount   
and length of each grant1 which shall be
 for an initial period of not more than 
#e years4  7#b7 ,extension ,the         

,secretary may extend an initial grant  
period under paragraph 7#a7 for an      
additional period of not more than #e   
years1 which amount shall be used to    
provide an increase in annual           
compensation described in subsection    
7c77#b7 for educators who obtained      
certification or credentialing during   
the initial grant period4  7f7          
,restrictions on compensation increases 
,the ,secretary shall require and ensure
 that individuals who obtain a          
certification from the ,national ,board 
for ,professional ,teaching ,standards  
under this section continue to teach at 
a school served by the eligible entity  
through which funding for such          
certification was obtained as a         
condition of receiving annual           
compensation increases provided for in  
this section4  7g7 ,progress reports    
7#a7 ,in general ,for every year for    
which ,congress appropriates funds for  
grants under this section1 the          
,secretary shall provide a report on the

 progress of the eligible entities      
receiving grants under this section in  
meeting applicable progress standards1  
as determined by the ,secretary4  7#b7  
,dissemination ,the ,secretary shall    
disseminate the report described in this
 subsection to each of the following3   
7,a7 ,the ,committee on ,health1        
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the
 ,senate4  7,b7 ,the ,committee on      
,education and ,labor of the ,house of  
,representatives4  4