Lake County Gazette

WASHINGTON – On May 11, in celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) and Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11), along with Senators Dick Durbin (IL), Tammy Baldwin (WI), and Tina Smith (MN), introduced theRetaining Educators Takes Added Investment Now (RETAIN) Act to improve teacher pay and retention.

“The RETAIN Act highlights our unwavering commitment to our teachers who shape our future generations,” said Rep. Schneider. “Recognizing the contributions of teachers by investing in them is crucial to attract talent and combat the nationwide shortage of teachers in public schools. That’s why I am committed to uplifting educators, enriching classrooms, and fostering a thriving school system that empowers teachers and students alike. I am proud to introduce this legislation with Sen. Durbin as we work to support our teachers.”

“We have a teaching shortage in communities across Illinois and the country because we pay our educators far too little.  Hoping to make ends meet for their own families, high quality and experienced teachers are incentivized to move to more affluent, higher paying districts. The impact on Black and Brown students and low-income communities is particularly drastic, with many students in the greatest need having the least resources available to them,” Sen.Durbin said. “With the RETAIN Act, we can help address teaching disparities by incentivizing teachers and other educational professionals to make careers in areas with the most need.”

“Across my home state of Michigan, we have felt the devastating effects of teacher shortages, which significantly worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Stevens. “Low-income schools in particular struggle to retain and recruit the teaching talent that their students so desperately need. When our students fall behind, our nation falls behind. I am proud to be a part of this bicameral effort on behalf of America’s teachers and public-school students.”

The RETAIN Act creates a fully refundable tax credit for teachers, paraprofessionals, mental health providers, and other professionals in Title I schools and early childhood education (ECE) programs to reward experience and incentivize retention. The shortage of experienced, qualified early childhood educators and elementary school and secondary school teachers is a national problem compromising students' academic outcomes and long-term success.

The week of May 8th is Teacher Appreciation Week this year and serves as an opportunity to celebrate and thank teachers for the positive impact they have on their students, communities, and the future of the nation.

You can read the full text of the bill here

The following organizations support the RETAIN Act: American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, AASA - The School Superintendents Association, Advance CTE, All4Ed, American Association of School Personnel Administrators, American School Counselor Association, Association for Career and Technical Education, Association of Illinois Montessori Schools, Chicago Teachers Union, Council of Administrators of Special Education, Deans for Impact, Edifying Teachers, Education Leaders of Color, Educators for Excellence, First Five Years Fund, FourPoint Education Partners, Illinois Education Association-NEA, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Joint National Committee for Languages, KIPP Public Schools, Learning Forward, Montessori Public Policy Initiative, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of School Psychologists, National Council for Languages and International Studies, National Rural Education Association, New Leaders, Service Employees International Union, Teach for America, Teach Plus, Teacher Salary Project, The New Teacher Project, and UnidosUS.

Original source can be found here