Invest in Rural Teachers Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7202 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7202 To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to support signing and retention bonuses for teachers in rural schools, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 22, 2026 Ms. Bynum introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to support signing and retention bonuses for teachers in rural schools, 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 ``Invest in Rural Teachers Act''. SEC. 2. RURAL SCHOOL RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM. (a) In General.--Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended-- (1) by redesignating part C as part D; and (2) by inserting after part B, the following: ``PART C--RURAL TEACHER INCENTIVE BONUSES ``SEC. 2251. RURAL TEACHER INCENTIVE BONUSES. ``(a) Grants to States.-- ``(1) Authority to award grants.--The Secretary shall carry out a program under which the Secretary makes grants to States to enable States to award subgrants to eligible entities, in accordance with subsection (b), to support signing and retention bonuses for teachers in rural schools. ``(2) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a State shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. ``(b) Subgrants to Eligible Entities.-- ``(1) Authority to award grants.--A State that receives a grant under subsection (a) shall