[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1954 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1954

 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax incentive 
  to individuals teaching in public elementary and secondary schools 
  located in rural or high unemployment areas and to individuals who 
achieve certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching 
                   Standards, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 5, 2015

   Mr. Wyden introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
                  referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax incentive 
  to individuals teaching in public elementary and secondary schools 
  located in rural or high unemployment areas and to individuals who 
achieve certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching 
                   Standards, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Incentives to Educate American 
Children Act of 2015'' or the ``I Teach Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. REFUNDABLE TAX CREDIT FOR INDIVIDUALS TEACHING IN PUBLIC 
              ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS LOCATED IN HIGH POVERTY 
              OR RURAL AREAS AND CERTIFIED TEACHERS.

    (a) In General.--Subpart C of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after 
section 36B the following new section:

``SEC. 36C. TAX CREDIT FOR INDIVIDUALS TEACHING IN ELEMENTARY AND 
              SECONDARY SCHOOLS LOCATED IN HIGH POVERTY OR RURAL AREAS 
              AND CERTIFIED TEACHERS.

    ``(a) Allowance of Credit.--In the case of an eligible teacher, 
there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this 
subtitle for the taxable year an amount equal to the applicable amount 
for the eligible academic year ending during such taxable year.
    ``(b) Applicable Amount.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) Teachers in schools in rural areas or schools with 
        high poverty.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In the case of an eligible 
                teacher who performs services in a public kindergarten, 
                elementary school, or secondary school described in 
                subparagraph (B) during the eligible academic year, the 
                applicable amount is $1,000.
                    ``(B) School described.--A public kindergarten, 
                elementary school, or secondary school is described in 
                this subparagraph if--
                            ``(i) at least 75 percent of the students 
                        attending such kindergarten or school receive 
                        free or reduced-cost lunches under the school 
                        lunch program established under the Richard B. 
                        Russell National School Lunch Act, or
                            ``(ii) such kindergarten or school has a 
                        school locale code of 41, 42, or 43, as 
                        determined by the Secretary of Education.
            ``(2) Certified teachers.--In the case of an eligible 
        teacher who is certified by the National Board for Professional 
        Teaching Standards for the eligible academic year, the 
        applicable amount is $1,000.
            ``(3) Certified teachers in schools in rural areas or 
        schools with high poverty.--In the case of an eligible teacher 
        described in both paragraphs (1) and (2), the applicable amount 
        is $2,000.
    ``(c) Eligible Teacher.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`eligible teacher' means, for any eligible academic year, an individual 
who is a kindergarten through grade 12 classroom teacher or instructor 
on a full-time basis for such eligible academic year in a public 
kindergarten, elementary school, or secondary school.
    ``(d) Additional Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) Elementary and secondary schools.--The terms 
        `elementary school' and `secondary school' have the respective 
        meanings given such terms by section 9101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            ``(2) Eligible academic year.--The term `eligible academic 
        year' means any academic year ending in a taxable year 
        beginning after December 31, 2015.
            ``(3) Public kindergarten, elementary school, or secondary 
        school.--The term `public kindergarten, elementary school, or 
        secondary school' means--
                    ``(A) a public kindergarten, or a public elementary 
                school or secondary school, of a State (as defined in 
                section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                Act of 1965), or
                    ``(B) an elementary school or secondary school 
                operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian 
                Education.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Paragraph (2) of section 1324(b) of title 31, United 
        States Code, is amended by inserting ``, 36C'' after ``36B''.
            (2) The table of sections for subpart C of part IV of 
        subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
        is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 36B 
        the following new item:

``Sec. 36C. Tax credit for individuals teaching in public elementary 
                            and secondary schools located in high 
                            poverty or rural areas and certified 
                            teachers.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to academic years ending in taxable years beginning after 
December 31, 2015.
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