Defense Community Teacher Support Act

Defense Community Teacher Support Act

This bill makes certain teachers who teach in military impacted communities eligible for student loan forgiveness. A school in a military impacted community is served by a local educational agency for which at least 20% of the students in average daily attendance in all schools served by the agency during the preceding school year had a parent on active duty.

Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Education to cancel up to $17,500 of federal student loans for a borrower who is an elementary or secondary school teacher employed for five consecutive years in a school in a military impacted community.

In addition, a teacher who is required to move due to a permanent change in duty station of their spouse may meet the five-year teaching requirement by teaching in multiple schools in different military impacted communities.