Preparing for the Future Act
The Preparing for the Future Act would create a new grant program under the Public Health Service Act to help finance the education of students who intend to become school psychologists. Specifically, it authorizes the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use to provide grants of up to $8,000 per year to eligible students through eligible higher-education institutions. The program is focused on students pursuing credentials to work as school psychologists and who commit to a service obligation—four academic years of full-time service as a school psychologist in certain under-served schools (designated as “covered schools”) within eight years of completing their studies. If recipients fail to meet the service obligation, the grants can be converted to loans with interest, and there are processes for reconsideration and potential reinstatement of the grant. The bill also lays out administration, eligibility, and reporting requirements, including oversight on where recipients serve and how student well-being may be affected at covered schools. The bill frames the program as part of a broader effort to address shortages of school psychologists, particularly in schools with low psychologist-to-student ratios and in districts eligible for Title I support. It provides a structured path from education through credentialing to service, with specific eligibility criteria, payment rules, and protections for both students and the administering agencies.
Key Points
- 1Establishes a new grant program (Sec. 554) within Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act to fund school psychology education and credentialing.
- 2Grant amount: $8,000 per eligible recipient per year, with eligibility for up to two years for both undergraduate/post-baccalaureate and graduate students (caps: no more than $16,000 per recipient).
- 3Service obligation: recipients must serve as full-time school psychologists in covered schools for at least 4 academic years within 8 years after completing their qualifying program, and must obtain a school psychologist credential.
- 4Repayment/loan conversion: if a recipient fails to meet the service obligation, grants are treated as Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans with interest; there are provisions for reconsideration and potential reinstatement of the grant and renewal of the service period.
- 5Eligibility and eligibility criteria: eligible recipients must demonstrate eligibility per HEA section 484 (e.g., need to meet GPA or admissions test criteria) and outline a detailed educational and credentialing plan transitioning to service; institutions must be “eligible institutions” that provide high-quality school psychology preparation and supervision.
- 6Covered schools and placement: a covered school is a public or qualifying private elementary or secondary school with a low ratio of school psychologists to students (less than 1:500) located in a district eligible for Title I support; the program tracks employment certifications and requires verification.
- 7Funding and administration: funds are subject to appropriations; at least 85% of funds to be advanced to institutions before each payment period, with mechanisms for direct payments to recipients if necessary; includes rules on how funds may be used (tuition, fees, and room/board for housing).
- 8Reporting and oversight: requires biennial reports to Congress on program participation, degrees earned, service locations and duration, changes in psychologist-to-student ratios, and data on student well-being at covered schools.
- 9Definitions: clarifies terms such as “covered school,” “eligible institution,” “eligible recipient,” and “school psychologist credential.”