PREP Act of 2019
Latest action. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: continuing resolutionA stopgap law funding the government at existing levels when the annual appropriations bills are not done by October 1.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) S1795)
Preparing and Retaining Education Professionals Act of 2019 or the PREP Act of 2019
This bill reauthorizes and revises certain grant programs to address shortages of teachers and school leaders (e.g., principals) in elementary and secondary schools, including shortages in rural areas and related to specific positions (e.g., special education and English language instruction).
First, the bill makes permanent and otherwise revises the Teacher Quality Partnership program (which provides grants to improve the quality of teachers and enhance professional development activities). It revises the program to, among other things (1) expand the purpose of grants to include the recruitment of well-prepared individuals, including individuals from underrepresented populations, into the teacher and school leadership force; (2) include training and professional development opportunities for school leaders; and (3) establish a grant program to address workforce shortages or increase workforce diversity.
Next, the bill makes permanent and otherwise revises the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence program (which provides grants to establish teacher preparation programs at minority-serving institutions). It allows grants to be used for school leader preparation programs.
Additionally, it aligns activities within teacher preparation programs at predominantly Black institutions and Native American-serving nontribal institutions with certain changes made to the Teacher Quality Partnership program.
It permanently reauthorizes the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement program (which provides grants to improve science and engineering education at predominantly minority institutions).
Finally, it provides annual funding beginning in FY2020 to historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions for grant programs (e.g., teacher preparation).
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on March 12, 2019. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on March 12, 2019: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1795)
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 116th Congress (2019-20), 344 of the 14,345 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.4 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
Timothy Kaine (D-VA) introduced it on March 12, 2019, and 3 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 2 Democrats, 1 Republican.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on March 12, 2019, 2785 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 2785 days ago, on March 12, 2019.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 116th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2021 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers