Senate Bill 2673

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-106-36, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE CERTAIN PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE WILLIAM F. WINTER AND JACK REED, SR., TEACHER LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM; TO EXPAND ELIGIBILITY TO ALL TEACHERS; TO REMOVE THE CAP ON THE NUMBER OF INITIAL AWARDS; TO DELETE THE DATE OF REPEAL THEREON; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-106-36, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-106-36. (1) There is established the "William F. Winter and Jack Reed, Sr., Teacher Loan Repayment Program."

(2) Subject to the availability of funds, an eligible applicant for an initial award must have:

(a) Graduated from a baccalaureate degree-granting institution of higher learning which is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) or a comparable accreditation body;

(b) Signed a contract as a full-time * * * ~~first‑year~~ teacher in a public school district in Mississippi;

(c) Obtained a standard five-year license or a nontraditional five-year alternate route license. Persons with provisional emergency licenses shall not be eligible applicants; and

(d) Outstanding qualifying undergraduate or graduate educational loans, which may include the principal, interest and related expenses such as the required interest premium on the unpaid balances of government and commercial loans obtained by the recipient for undergraduate educational expense.

(3) Persons who have received funds from other forgivable loan programs established for teachers under Mississippi law, or who are presently in default or delinquent on any federal, state, local or commercial qualifying educational loan, shall not be eligible for this program.

(4) Provided that initial recipients remain eligible under the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, they may retain eligibility for two (2) additional awards, subject to the availability of funds.

(5) Initial recipients shall be selected on a first-come, first-served basis of all eligible applicants * * *. In the second and * * * ~~subsequent~~ third years of an applicant's continued eligibility, priority consideration shall first be given to renewal applicants. * * * The Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board shall develop rules for ensuring that expenses of the program in a fiscal year do not exceed funding for the program in that fiscal year. For that purpose, and any other provision of this section to the contrary notwithstanding, the Postsecondary Board may limit the acceptance of applications and may limit the number of awards.

( * * *56) Among * * * ~~first‑time, first‑year~~ teacher recipients, priority consideration shall be given to persons who are teaching in a public school district designated as a geographical critical teacher shortage area by the State Board of Education.

( * * *67) Awards for recipients who have signed a contract to teach in a public school district that is not designated as a geographical critical teacher shortage area shall be as follows:

(a) One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) for the * * * ~~first year of teaching~~ initial award;

(b) Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) for the second * * * ~~year of teaching~~ award; and

(7) Awards for recipients who have signed a contract to teach in a public school district that is designated as a geographical critical teacher shortage area shall be as follows:

(a) Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00) for the first * * * ~~year of teaching~~ initial award;

(b) Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) for the second * * * ~~year of teaching~~ award, provided the recipient continues to teach in the same public school district or another public school district designated a geographical shortage area by the State Board of Education; and

(c) Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) for the third * * * ~~year of teaching~~ award, provided the recipient continues to teach in the same public school district or another public school district designated a geographical shortage area by the State Board of Education.

( * * *89) * * * ~~A first‑year~~ An initial recipient who moves to another public school district shall be eligible to receive an award based on the amount allowed under the program in the new district where the teacher is employed.

( * * *910) Awards shall be granted on a year-to-year basis, and recipients shall have no obligation to seek a future award.

( * * *1011) Awards shall be paid annually, after the expiration of the one-year teaching contract for which the award was granted, to the recipient's lender or loan service provider, and shall be applied to the outstanding balance. Monies paid on the recipient's behalf toward qualifying undergraduate or graduate educational loans prior to receiving payment of the award shall not be eligible for repayment through the program.

( * * *1112) During the teaching year for which the award is granted, a recipient must at all times keep the * * * ~~State Financial Aid Board~~ Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board informed of any changes to the recipient's current contact information and employment status.

( * * *1213) Recipients who fail to maintain a standard or nontraditional license or fail to fulfill the one-year teaching contract on which the award was based shall forfeit any right to the award.

( * * *1314) The * * * ~~State Financial Aid Board~~ Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board, in collaboration with the State Board of Education, shall track recipients of an award under this program through their * * * ~~fifth teaching year~~ fourth year after receiving their initial award, unless the recipient shall leave teaching in a public school district at an earlier date. Data collected shall include recipients' * * * ~~undergraduate institution,~~ school district, subject area/grade level in teaching and any other pertinent information necessary to determine the efficacy of the program in retaining teachers * * *.

( * * *1415) The * * * ~~State Financial Aid Board~~ Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board shall promulgate regulations necessary for the proper administration of this section, including rules for ensuring that expenses of the program in a fiscal year do not exceed funding for the program in that fiscal year.

( * * *1516) There is established in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated the "William F. Winter and Jack Reed, Sr., Loan Repayment Program Fund," into which shall be deposited those funds appropriated by the Legislature, and any other funds that may be made available, for the purpose of implementing the loan repayment program established herein. Money in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not lapse into the General Fund, and interest earned on any amounts deposited into the fund shall be credited to the special fund.

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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.