Bipartisan proposal would enhance federal support for future teachers

WASHINGTON – University of Northern Iowa President Mark Nook joined U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson on Thursday to support the bipartisan TEACH Improvement Act, introduced in the House of Representatives. 

Co-sponsored by Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina, the legislation would strengthen and modernize the federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program, which provides financial assistance to students who commit to teaching in high-need fields and in schools serving low-income communities.

During the 2024-25 academic year, UNI ranked second nationally in TEACH Grant dollars disbursed to students. More than 750 students received TEACH Grant funding this past year, totaling more than $2.5 million in aid. Beginning in fiscal year 2025, the number of eligible students increased significantly with the addition of elementary education as a high-need field.

“Nothing is more important to us than helping people manage their student loan debt and come out of college with a high-quality degree that prepares them for the profession that they want to be in. These TEACH grants have been very important for our educators,” said Nook.

The House measure is a companion to legislation introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Jack Reed of Rhode Island earlier this year. Together, the bipartisan bills seek to improve support for the next generation of educators and help address teacher shortages.

The legislation aims to address longstanding challenges within the TEACH Grant Program, where some recipients have seen their grants converted to loans after being unable to fulfill or properly document their service requirements.

Nook said the legislation would strengthen the TEACH Grant Program by improving accountability, providing additional support for grant recipients and helping students successfully meet their service commitments.

“Let’s help students understand what these grants really are, how they work, what their obligations are, and then help them find the jobs they need to be able to meet the obligations for these TEACH grants,” he said.

Founded in 1876 as the Iowa State Normal School, the University of Northern Iowa has a long history of preparing educators and remains Iowa's leading producer of teachers. Since the inception of the TEACH Grant Program in 2008, 3,703 UNI students have benefited from funding as they prepared to serve schools and communities.