House Bill 1030

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO REIMBURSE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS FOR THE COST OF TUITION PAID TO COMPLETE AN ADVANCED DEGREE; TO ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA UNDER THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING A REQUIREMENT THAT A TEACHER RENDER TWO YEARS SATISFACTORY SERVICE AS A FULL-TIME CLASSROOM TEACHER AFTER COMPLETING THE ADVANCED DEGREE; TO REQUIRE THE POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BOARD TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is established a program to encourage public school teachers in the State of Mississippi to pursue and complete a graduate degree. Under the program, an eligible teacher may be reimbursed for the cost of tuition paid by the teacher in obtaining a master's degree. In order to be eligible for reimbursement, a teacher must meet the following qualifications:

(a) The teacher must have enrolled in a graduate program of study after July 1, 2016, which culminated with the teacher being awarded a master's degree;

(b) After being awarded a master's degree, the teacher must have rendered at least two (2) years of service as a full-time classroom teacher in a public school district in the State of Mississippi;

(c) The performance of the teacher must be deemed satisfactory or better, as determined and documented by the principal of the school in which the teacher is employed; and

(d) The teacher must be a resident of the State of Mississippi and must have been a resident throughout the time the teacher was enrolled in the master's degree program and the two (2) years that the teacher taught in a public school after completing the degree.

(2) A teacher eligible for tuition reimbursement under subsection (1) of this section may apply to the superintendent of the school district in which the teacher is employed for reimbursement of the tuition and fees actually paid by the teacher to an institution of higher learning to pursue a master's degree. Upon determining that the teacher has met all qualifications for reimbursement, the school district shall pay to the teacher the amount to which the teacher is entitled under this section. For the purposes of this section, the term "tuition" means the semester or trimester or term charges and all required fees imposed by an institution of higher learning as a condition of enrollment by all students.

(3) Upon the request of a school district, the State Department of Education shall reimburse the school district for the cost incurred by the district in reimbursing an eligible teacher for the tuition paid to obtain a master's degree.

(4) A teacher is eligible for tuition reimbursement under this section on one (1) occasion only. Any teacher who successfully completes more than one graduate level degree program may be reimbursed for the cost of tuition paid by the teacher for one (1) advanced degree only, notwithstanding that the teacher is employed by and otherwise eligible for reimbursement for a subsequent graduate level degree from a different school district than the district that initially reimbursed the teacher under this section.

(5) The program established under this section shall be administered by the Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board. The board, acting jointly with the State Board of Education, shall promulgate such rules and regulations as it deems necessary for the proper administration of this program and to carry out the purposes and intent of this section.

SECTION 2. Section 1 of this act shall be codified as a new section in Chapter 106, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016.