To support the preparation and retention of outstanding educators in all fields to ensure a bright future for children and youth in under-resourced and underserved communities in the United States, and for other purposes.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7883 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7883 To support the preparation and retention of outstanding educators in all fields to ensure a bright future for children and youth in under- resourced and underserved communities in the United States, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 9, 2026 Ms. Stevens (for herself and Mrs. Hayes) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To support the preparation and retention of outstanding educators in all fields to ensure a bright future for children and youth in under- resourced and underserved communities in the United States, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Addressing Teacher Shortages Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) Currently, there are not enough teachers to meet the demand for teachers in all locations and in all fields, creating a teacher shortage. The teacher shortage is a result of growing student enrollment, shrinking pupil-teacher ratios, declining enrollment in teacher preparation programs, and high levels of attrition from the field. Teacher shortages are particularly acute in rural schools and in certain subject areas, such as the fields of STEM, special education, and English as a second language. Additionally, there is a lack of racial diversity in the teaching workforce. (2) Rural schools serve 18 percent of all students in the United States, including over 9,000,000 students in rural public elementary and secondary schools. More than 40 percent of all small, rural local educational ag