Senate Bill 2482

(COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-159-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO LIMIT THE CRITICAL NEEDS TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO JUNIOR AND SENIOR LEVEL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS; TO PROVIDE THAT CRITICAL NEEDS TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS SHALL HAVE THE OPTION TO AGREE TO TEACH IN A SUBJECT AREA IN WHICH THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THEIR OBLIGATION AND CONVERT THEIR LOANS TO INTEREST-FREE SCHOLARSHIPS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 37-159-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-159-3. (1) There is established the "Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program," the purpose of which is to attract qualified teachers to those geographical areas of the state and those subject areas of the curriculum where there exists a critical shortage of teachers by awarding full scholarships to persons declaring an intention to serve in the teaching field who actually render service to the state while possessing an appropriate teaching license.

(2) Any individual who is enrolled in or accepted for enrollment at a teacher education program approved by the State Board of Education at a baccalaureate degree-granting institution of higher learning * * * in the State of Mississippi and has a passing score on the Praxis I Basic Skills Test who expresses in writing an intention to teach in a geographical area of the state or a subject area of the public school curriculum in which there exists a critical shortage of teachers, as designated by the State Board of Education, shall be eligible for a financial scholarship to be applied toward the costs of the individual's college education. The annual amount of the award shall be equal to the total cost for tuition, room and meals, books, materials and fees at the college or university in which the student is enrolled, not to exceed an amount equal to the highest total cost of tuition, room and meals, books, materials and fees assessed by a state institution of higher learning during that school year. Awards made to nonresidents of the state shall not include any amount assessed by the college or university for out-of-state tuition.

(3) Awards granted under the Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program shall be available to both full-time and part-time students. Students enrolling on a full-time basis may receive a maximum of two (2) annual awards. The maximum number of awards that may be made to students attending school on a part-time basis, and the maximum time period for part-time students to complete the number of academic hours necessary to obtain a baccalaureate degree in education, shall be established by rules and regulations jointly promulgated by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board of Education. Critical Needs Teacher Scholarships shall not be based upon an applicant's eligibility for financial aid.

(4) Except in those cases where employment positions may not be available upon completion of licensure requirements, at the beginning of the first school year in which a recipient of a Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship is eligible for employment as a licensed teacher or a nontraditional teacher intern pursuant to Section 37-3-2 (6)(b), that person shall begin to render service as a licensed teacher or nontraditional teacher intern in a public school district in a geographical area of the state or a subject area of the curriculum where there is a critical shortage of teachers, as approved by the State Board of Education. Any person who received two (2) annual awards, or * * * who received fewer than two (2) annual awards, or the equivalent of two (2) annual awards, shall render one (1) year's service as a licensed teacher * * * for each year that the person received a full-time student scholarship * * *.

(5) Any person failing to complete a program of study which will enable that person to become a licensed teacher or nontraditional teacher intern under Section 37-3-2 (6)(b), as the case may be, shall become liable immediately to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning for the sum of all Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship awards made to that person, plus interest accruing at the current Stafford Loan rate at the time the person abrogates his participation in the program. Any person failing to complete his teaching obligation, as required under subsection (4) of this section, shall become liable immediately to the board for the sum of all scholarship awards made to that person less the corresponding amount of any awards for which service has been rendered, plus interest accruing at the current Stafford Loan rate at the time the person discontinues his service, except in the case of a deferral of debt for cause by the State Board of Education when there is no employment position immediately available upon a teacher's completion of licensure requirements. After the period of such deferral, such person shall begin or resume teaching duties as required under subsection (4) or shall become liable to the board under this subsection. If a claim for payment under this subsection is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection, the obligor shall be liable for an additional amount equal to a reasonable attorney's fee.

(6) The obligations made by the recipient of a Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship award shall not be voidable by reason of the age of the student at the time of receiving the scholarship.

(7) Any student who, prior to July 1, 2003, has been accepted into the Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program under the authority of Section 37-159-3(4) shall be allowed to begin or remain in the scholar loan program, and conversion for those students with fewer than four (4) annual awards shall be based on one (1) year of service in either (a) a geographic area of the state in which there exists a critical shortage of teachers as determined by the State Board of Education, or (b) a subject area of the curriculum in the public schools in which there exists a critical shortage of teachers as determined by the State Board of Education, for each year a loan was received by the student. For those students that receive the equivalent of four (4) annual awards, such students shall render three (3) years of service.

(8) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board of Education shall jointly promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the proper administration of the Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall be the administering agency of the program.

(9) If insufficient funds are available to fully fund scholarship awards to all eligible students, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall make the awards to first-time students on a first-come, first-served basis; however, priority consideration shall be given to persons previously receiving awards under the Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program.

(10) All funds received by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning from the repayment of scholarship awards by program participants shall be deposited in the Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Fund.

(11) The State Department of Education shall compile and report, in consultation with the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, an annual report with findings and recommendations to the legislative committees on education by December 1, 2003, and annually thereafter, on the following:

(a) The number of participants in the Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program, by institution and by freshman, sophomore, junior and senior level;

(b) The number of nontraditional teacher license program participants;

(c) The number of individuals who completed the Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program and the school district in which they are employed;

(d) The number of individuals who are in default of their obligation under the Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program and the status of their obligation; and

(e) The number of participants in the program who have successfully completed the Praxis examination in their junior year.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2003.