Quality Educator Partnership Act, Grounded in AACTE’s Call to Action, Introduced in Congress

(Sept. 28, 2026 — Washington, D.C.) — AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) applauds the bicameral introduction of the Quality Educator Partnership Act (QEPA), legislation that reflects key priorities outlined in the Call to Action developed by AACTE and endorsed by organizations across the education profession. The bill was introduced late last week in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R.10530) by Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (D-NC), and a companion bill (S.5549) was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI). 

QEPA would make sustained federal investments in educator recruitment, preparation, retention, and advancement, address significant educator shortages by building federal infrastructure, remove financial barriers to the profession, expand preparation pathways, and strengthen data and accountability. Notably, the bill also promotes efforts to make working in education a more attractive, sustainable career option for today’s workforce.   

“Our nation’s future is directly tied to the strength of our educators. Congress must step up to ensure we have teachers who are ready and able to equip our students with the skills they need to thrive in a challenging environment. The Quality Educator Partnership Act would do just that by creating new federal infrastructure, boosting investments, and expanding our ability to prepare teachers now and in the future,” said Senator Reed. “By creating a National Educator Service Corps, grant programs, and research capabilities through the Department of Education, this bill would significantly expand the pathway to the teaching profession; help schools recruit, support, and retain educators; and leverage, uplift, and enhance input from across the education profession to better prepare teachers and serve our students.”  

“As an educator for 40 years, a city school board member, and now as the Ranking Member of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee, I’ve watched the national teacher shortage grow worse for decades,” said Congresswoman Adams. “According to the Department of Education, 69% of public schools reported struggling to fill vacant positions before the 2024-2025 school year. The Quality Educator Partnership Act gives the Department the tools and coordination it is missing, from new investment in recruitment to long-overdue standards for ed-tech integration. Educators, administrators, and students have waited long enough for this support.” 

“Senator Reed and Congresswoman Adams have shown exceptional leadership in translating AACTE’s Call to Action into concrete federal policy,” said Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Ph.D., AACTE President and CEO. “This bill reflects a shared understanding that America’s students deserve the best possible education, and that starts with sustained federal investment in the educators who prepare them. It strengthens the partnerships between educator preparation programs, school districts, and communities that are essential to building and sustaining a strong, diverse educator workforce. We are deeply grateful to Senator Reed and Representative Adams for their continued championing of educators and the students they serve.” 

Key provisions of the bill include: 

• Strengthening the educator pipeline by establishing a systemic approach to recruit, prepare, retain, and advance high-quality educators, prioritizing high-need fields and candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. 

• Investing in workforce development through partnerships between colleges, school districts, and other stakeholders, promoting teacher residencies, Grow Your Own programs, mentoring, and evidence-based preparation models. 

• Promoting innovative workforce design of the profession for long-term sustainability. 

• Creating a new affordable pathway through a National Educator Service Corps providing tuition assistance, living stipends, and clinical residency stipends in exchange for service in high-need schools. 

• Building federal infrastructure, including an Office of Educator Workforce and an Office of Educational Technology and Digital Literacy within the U.S. Department of Education. 

• Improving data and accountability through better national data collection on educator preparation, workforce supply and demand, and program outcomes. 

• Supporting evaluation and dissemination of evidence-based approaches through a National Center for Research and Technical Support on Educator Workforce Development and Design. 

• Supporting educational equity through annual evaluations of civil rights enforcement and monitoring of state educator equity plans. 

QEPA is co-sponsored by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT). AACTE will call on its membership to engage with their representatives and senators to help build support for the bill. 

QEPA is endorsed by the following organizations: 

• 1890 Universities Foundation 

• AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) 

• ACTFL 

• American Association of School Librarians 

• AFT 

• American Library Association 

• AMLE 

• Association for Independent Liberal Arts College for Teacher Education (AILACTE) 

• Center for Reaching & Teaching the Whole Child 

• City Teaching Alliance 

• Council for Academic Deans of Research Education Institutions (CADREI) 

• Deans for Impact (DFI) 

• ETS 

• InnovateEDU 

• International Society for Transforming Education (ISTE+ASCD) 

• NACCTEP National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs 

• National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE) 

• National Association for Music Education 

• National Association for School-University Partnerships (NASUP) 

• National Association of Elementary School Principals 

• National Center for Learning Disabilities 

• National Center for Teacher Residencies 

• National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) 

• National Education Association (NEA) 

• National Principals Association 

• Teach Plus 

• TECSCU, Teacher Education Council for State Colleges and Universities 

• Thurgood Marshall College Fund 

• United Negro College Fund 

View quotes from endorsing organizations.

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About AACTE

Established in 1948, AACTE is the leading voice in educator preparation. AACTE’s member institutions and programs prepare the greatest number of professional educators in the United States and its territories, including teachers, counselors, administrators, and college faculty. These professional educators are prepared for careers in PK-12 classrooms, colleges and universities, state and governmental agencies, policy institutes, and non-profit organizations. Learn more at aacte.org.