The TEACH Improvement Act of 2026 amends federal law to strengthen the TEACH Grant program, which provides annual grants of $4,000 to $5,000 for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate teachers and up to $10,000 for graduate students pursuing teaching careers in high-need fields like math, science, and special education. To receive grants, applicants must demonstrate strong academic credentials (3.25 GPA or equivalent test scores) and commit to teaching full-time for at least four academic years within eight years of graduation at qualifying schools serving low-income communities. The bill includes accountability measures that penalize institutions where 50 percent or more of graduates fail to meet their teaching service obligations by revoking their eligibility to offer new grants for three years, while institutions with 40 percent failure rates must implement improvement plans. Recipients who fail to complete their service obligation will have their grants converted to federal loans requiring repayment, though the bill allows for reconsideration and reinstatement in cases of processing errors or certification delays. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and requires the Department of Education to maintain public lists of qualifying schools and fields while reporting grant outcomes to Congress biennially.
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