District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B25-0499 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
3	3	The John A. Wilson Building
4	4	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
5	5	Washington, D.C. 20004
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9	9	1
10	10
11	11	Statement of Introduction
12	12	Student Loan Repayment Assistance for Educators Act of 2023
13	13	September 26, 2023
14	14
15	15	Today, along with Councilmembers Charles Allen, Kenyan R. McDuffie, Vincent C. Gray,
16	16	Janeese Lewis George, Zachary Parker, Brooke Pinto, Robert C. White, Jr., and Matthew
17	17	Frumin, I am introducing the Student Loan Repayment Assistance for Educators Act of 2023.
18	18	This legislation would create a loan repayment program for public school educators who meet
19	19	certain residency, income, and employment requirements.
20	20	Educators are the backbone of our democracy. Day by day, they mold students into informed,
21	21	creative citizens. Educators work tirelessly, often taking on multiple roles in a school to ensure
22	22	student success. In advancing the District’s goal of attracting qualified and passionate educators
23	23	to teach in its schools, the Council must consider all approaches, particularly those that address
24	24	the concerns that educators cite as important in deciding where to teach.
25	25	While the average public school educator salary in the District is in the top decile of those in the
26	26	United States, the cost of living in the District diminishes the attractiveness of a comparatively
27	27	strong salary. As student loan repayment requirements restart this month, educators’ gross
28	28	income will decrease even more. Educators’ student loan burdens are significant. The average
29	29	student loan debt in the District is $54,945, which is just under the annual salary for a first-time
30	30	teacher in the District. Nationally, educators borrowed an average of $55,800 and still owe an
31	31	average $5,700 in student loan debt.
32	32	1
33	33
34	34	Data also shows that age and race play a significant role in the impact, amount, and payment of
35	35	student loans.
36	36	2
37	37	Younger educators have more student loan debt than older educators and are
38	38	more likely to take out loans than older educators due to rising tuition costs. Of educators aged
39	39	18-35, 42% have taken out $65,000 or more in student loans, compared to 13% of those 61 and
40	40	up. Over two-thirds of older educators said that student loan repayments have made it difficult to
41	41	save for retirement.
42	42	3
43	43	When factoring in race, data shows that 56% of all Black educators have
44	44	taken out student loans compared to 44% of White educators.
45	45	4
46	46	Additionally, Black educators
47	47
48	48	1
49	49	The Depth of Educators’ College Debt, NEA
50	50	2
51	51	Student Loan Debt Among Educators: A National Crisis, NEA
52	52	3
53	53	Ibid.
54	54	4
55	55	Ibid.
56	56	Christina Henderson Committee Member
57	57	Councilmember, At-Large Hospital and Health Equity
58	58	Chairperson, Committee on Health Judiciary and Public Safety
59	59	Transportation and the Environment
60	60
61	61	COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
62	62	The John A. Wilson Building
63	63	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
64	64	Washington, D.C. 20004
65	65
66	66
67	67
68	68	2
69	69	took on significantly more debt than other groups, with an average initial total of $6,300 among
70	70	those who took out loans, compared to $54,300 for White educators and $56,400 for Latino
71	71	educators.
72	72	To address the unique financial stress of educators, this bill would establish a loan repayment
73	73	assistance program for educators. The program would be administered by OSSE, in consultation
74	74	with the Student Loan Ombudsman. The District currently has locally administered student loan
75	75	repayment programs for other high-need professions like healthcare workers.
76	76	The Council is committed to doing its part to attract passionate educators to teach in District
77	77	schools. This bill addresses the equity gaps in the financial burden that educators are required to
78	78	take on to obtain the degrees that are necessary to teach our students. I look forward to working
79	79	with my colleagues on the Council to pass this legislation.
80	80
81	81
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84	84	1
85	85	_____________________________ _____________________________ 1
86	86	Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Christina Henderson 2
87	87	3
88	88	4
89	89	_____________________________ _____________________________ 5
90	90	Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie Councilmember Vincent C. Gray 6
91	91	7
92	92	8
93	93	_____________________________ _____________________________ 9
94	94	Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Councilmember Zachary Parker 10
95	95	11
96	96	12
97	97	_____________________________ _____________________________ 13
98	98	Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Matthew Frumin 14
99	99	15
100	100	16
101	101	_____________________________ 17
102	102	Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 18
103	103	19
104	104	20
105	105	21
106	106	A BILL 22
107	107	23
108	108	_______________ 24
109	109	25
110	110	26
111	111	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 27
112	112	28
113	113	_______________________ 29
114	114	30
115	115	31
116	116	To establish a student loan debt repayment assistance program for educators who teach and 32
117	117	reside in the District. 33
118	118	34
119	119	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 35
120	120	act may be cited as the “Student Loan Repayment Assistance for Educators Act of 2023”. 36
121	121	Sec. 2. Definitions. 37
122	122	For the purposes of this act, the term: 38
123	123	(1) “Educator” means a principal, assistant principal, teacher, assistant teacher, or 39
124	124	a paraprofessional who is employed by or has accepted an offer of employment with the District 40
125	125	of Columbia Public Schools or a public charter school. 41 2
126	126	(2) “Federal income-driven repayment plan” refers to any repayment option 42
127	127	available to federal student loan borrowers in which payments are determined based on a 43
128	128	percentage of the borrower’s discretionary income, including the income-based repayment plan, 44
129	129	the Saving on a Valuable Education (“SAVE”) plan, and the income-contingent repayment plan. 45
130	130	(3) “Income” means the total adjusted gross income of the applicant and the 46
131	131	applicant’s spouse, if applicable. 47
132	132	(4) “OSSE” means the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. 48
133	133	(5) “Program” means the District of Columbia Student Loan Forgiveness Program 49
134	134	established pursuant to this act. 50
135	135	(6) “Student education loan” means any loan primarily obtained for personal use 51
136	136	to finance post-secondary education or other school related expenses. 52
137	137	Sec. 3. Establishment of Student Loan Debt Forgiveness Program. 53
138	138	(a) There is established the District of Columbia Student Loan Debt Forgiveness Program 54
139	139	(“program”), which shall be administered by OSSE, in consultation with the Student Loan 55
140	140	Ombudsperson, established pursuant to section 7a of the Department of Insurance and Securities 56
141	141	Regulation Establishment Act of 1996, effective February 18, 2017 (D.C. Law 21-214; D.C. 57
142	142	Official Code § 31-106.01). 58
143	143	(b) The purpose of the program is to provide an opportunity for educators to receive 59
144	144	economic relief in the form of student loan repayment assistance. 60
145	145	(c) An applicant who meets the eligibility requirements outlined in section 4 shall be 61
146	146	eligible to receive a monthly payment up to their monthly federal income-driven repayment plan 62
147	147	payment for up to 60 months; provided, that the recipient shall not receive the monthly payment 63
148	148	for any period of time in which the recipient has been granted a deferment or forbearance of their 64
149	149	monthly federal income-driven repayment plan payment. 65 3
150	150	(d) OSSE, in consultation with the Student Loan Ombudsman, shall: 66
151	151	(1) Establish an application process; 67
152	152	(2) Conduct regular surveys to ensure participant compliance with the program; 68
153	153	(3) Disburse monthly payments to participants in the program; and 69
154	154	(4) Perform any other functions necessary for the program’s administration. 70
155	155	Sec. 4. Eligibility requirements. 71
156	156	(a) To be eligible to receive payment under the program, an applicant shall: 72
157	157	(1) Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States; 73
158	158	(2) Be an educator in the District; 74
159	159	(3) Have enrolled in a post-secondary institution after January 1, 2024; 75
160	160	(4) Have outstanding debt on a student education loan; 76
161	161	(5) Apply for payment under this program within 2 years of ceasing to be enrolled 77
162	162	as a full or half-time student at a post-secondary institution; 78
163	163	(6) Have their loans enrolled in a federal income-driven repayment plan with the 79
164	164	lowest monthly payment amount and where the monthly payment amount is tied to a percentage 80
165	165	of the participant’s discretionary income; 81
166	166	(7) Have an adjusted gross income that is less than or equal to $75,000, if 82
167	167	unmarried or married and filing their federal income tax return as an individual, or less than or 83
168	168	equal to $95,000, if married and filing a joint federal income tax return; and 84
169	169	(8) Be a resident of the District. 85
170	170	Sec. 5. Application. 86
171	171	(a) An applicant shall apply to the program by submitting the following to OSSE: 87
172	172	(1) A completed application in a form and manner prescribed by OSSE and 88
173	173	signed under penalty of perjury; 89 4
174	174	(2) If employed, verification of employment, which shall include a paystub or the 90
175	175	applicant’s most recent W-2 form; and 91
176	176	(3) Any other information OSSE considers necessary as prescribed by rules issued 92
177	177	pursuant to section 6. 93
178	178	Sec. 6. Rulemaking. 94
179	179	OSSE, pursuant to Title of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, 95
180	180	approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et. seq.) shall issue rules 96
181	181	to implement the provisions of this act within 180 days of the effective date of this act. 97
182	182	Sec. 7. Fiscal impact statement. 98
183	183	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 99
184	184	impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 100
185	185	approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 101
186	186	Sec. 8. Effective date. 102
187	187	This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 103
188	188	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 104
189	189	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 105
190	190	24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 106
191	191	Columbia Register. 107