Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026

The Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026 expands existing federal student loan relief programs to offer full debt cancellation for teachers and early childhood educators who work in high-need schools or specific early childhood programs for five years. Under the bill, eligible educators can receive 100 percent forgiveness of their outstanding loans after completing five years of service, which may be consecutive or nonconsecutive, while also qualifying for monthly loan payments to be made by the government during their employment. The legislation defines "high need schools" as those with at least 30 percent of students from low-income families and includes various early childhood settings, while also extending benefits to parents who borrow PLUS loans for their qualifying children or who are educators themselves. To support implementation, the law requires the Department of Education to publish a list of eligible schools and programs, allows for self-certification in some early childhood roles, and ensures that educators who leave their positions early or are promoted within the same organization do not lose their eligibility for forgiveness.