White House celebrates National Teachers of the Year, unveils data on loan forgiveness approvals in each district

The latest data released by the Biden-Harris Administration provides insights into the recipients of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) approvals based on their respective Congressional Districts. The data reveal that among the 876,000 individuals who have benefited from the program, amounting to $62.8 billion in relief, every district in the country has approved borrowers. This marks a significant increase compared to the mere 7,000 approvals at the beginning of the Administration. The administration is set to host a State dinner to honor the 2024 National Teacher of the Year and State Teachers of the Year from all states.

“With a focus on recognizing educators and essential public service workers, the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to alleviate student loan burdens are evident in the data released today,” remarked U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The data underscores the availability of student loan relief for public servants across various regions, ensuring support for individuals nationwide, be it in rural or urban areas, coastal regions, or heartland districts.”

The approvals outlined in the data reflect the Administration’s ongoing initiatives to overhaul the flawed student loan system and reinstate the effectiveness of discharge programs. Measures such as the limited PSLF waiver and payment count adjustment have addressed long-standing issues with PSLF, while new regulations implemented by the Department of Education last year aim to simplify PSLF qualification for borrowers.

The data indicates that, on average, over 1,200 borrowers in each district have secured relief totaling $87 million, with every district receiving at least $1 million in support. Excluding the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, districts with the highest number of approved borrowers include New York’s 20th, Maryland’s 5th, Virginia’s 8th, New York’s 25th, and Florida’s 2nd.

Continued Dedication to Relief
The Biden-Harris Administration maintains its unwavering commitment to providing federal student loan relief to borrowers and their families. To date, nearly $160 billion in relief has been approved for approximately 4.6 million borrowers through various initiatives:

• $49.2 billion to over 996,000 borrowers via improvements to Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans, addressing administrative shortcomings and forbearance misuse by loan servicers.
• $4.8 billion for nearly 360,000 borrowers under the SAVE Plan, catering to individuals with smaller postsecondary study loans.
• $28.7 billion for 1.6 million borrowers affected by school-related fraud, closures, or settlements.
• $14.1 billion for more than 548,000 borrowers with total and permanent disabilities.

The Department is actively crafting new regulations to expedite debt relief for borrowers, with draft rules currently open for public feedback until May 17.