Last week, Representatives Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), reintroduced the Diversifying by Investing in Educators and Students to Improve Outcomes For Youth (DIVERSIFY) Act, legislation that would strengthen and expand the TEACH Grant award and help build a well prepared and diverse educator workforce. The TEACH Grant, created in 2007, provides up to $4,000 to undergraduate and graduate students interested in becoming teachers and serving in a high-need field teaching students from low-income families. The DIVERSIFY Act aims to help create a well-prepared and diverse educator workforce by:

• Increasing the maximum TEACH Grant award to $8,000 per year to better reflect the rising cost of higher education and educator preparation.

• Ending sequestration cuts to the TEACH Grant award, ensuring eligible students can receive the full grant amount authorized by Congress.

• Ensuring that the TEACH Grant Program effectively covers the full cost of comprehensive preparation and reduces debt burdens by amending the program to cover the full cost of attendance, rather than just tuition, fees, and institutionally owned housing.