Beginning Educator Mentorship and Retention Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9245
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-10: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-01T18:19:58Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 9245: Beginning Educator Mentorship and Retention Act
Purpose
This legislation aims to create a federal grant program that funds induction and mentoring programs for new public school teachers and school leaders. The goal is to reduce high turnover rates among beginning educators, improve their effectiveness, and enhance student outcomes, particularly in high-need areas.
Key Provisions
- Grant Structure: The Secretary of Education awards competitive grants to state educational agencies (SEAs). SEAs must reserve at least 90% of funds for subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs), consortia, or educational service agencies, and at least 5% for program administration, technical assistance, and statewide initiatives.
- Funding Reservations: Two percent of total appropriations supports federal administration, evaluation, and technical assistance; one percent funds similar programs for Bureau of Indian Education schools.
- Induction Program Requirements: Programs must last at least two years and include structured mentoring, collaboration time, observations with feedback, support for teaching students with disabilities and English learners, and other specific components like data use and school climate strategies.
- Mentor Standards: Mentors must be fully certified, experienced (at least three years), effective, and receive training, reduced workloads, or compensation.
- Matching Requirement: Grantees generally must provide a 50% match, with exemptions for outlying areas and waivers for financial hardship or other circumstances.
- Targeting: When funds are limited, priority goes to LEAs and schools with high percentages of economically disadvantaged students, high concentrations of new teachers/leaders, or high turnover rates.
- Application and Accountability: Applications require assurances on program quality, mentor compensation, involvement of teacher organizations, and public posting of mentor requirements. Funds must supplement, not replace, existing resources, and collective bargaining rights are preserved.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill introduces a new standalone grant program without amending prior statutes. It establishes detailed federal standards for induction programs and requires SEAs to oversee subgrants with specific equity-focused targeting rules.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Department of Education gains new administrative responsibilities for grant distribution and oversight. SEAs and LEAs must develop or expand programs, potentially requiring schedule adjustments and new partnerships with educator preparation programs or nonprofits.
- Citizens: Beginning teachers and school leaders receive structured support to improve retention and skills. Students, especially in high-poverty or rural schools, may benefit from more stable and effective instruction. Rural areas and schools with many students of color receive prioritized attention.
- International Relations: No direct effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State educational agencies (SEAs) as primary grantees.
- Local educational agencies (LEAs), educational service agencies, and their consortia as subgrantees.
- New and prospective teachers and school leaders.
- Mentor educators.
- Students, particularly those who are economically disadvantaged, have disabilities, are English learners, or attend rural schools.
- Educator preparation programs and nonprofit organizations.
- Organizations representing teachers and school leaders.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The bill includes explicit protections for existing collective bargaining agreements and state labor laws, ensuring the program does not override employee rights. It emphasizes fiscal accountability through supplement-not-supplant rules but introduces no major constitutional issues or new regulatory burdens beyond standard grant compliance.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-10: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2026-06-10: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-10: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Beginning Educator Mentorship and Retention Act — issued 2026-06-10 — PDF (26 pages)