81R11265 KSD-D

By: Howard of Travis H.B. No. 2928

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation and administration of the public high school mathematics and science teachers undergraduate education scholarship program.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter FF to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER FF. MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHERS UNDERGRADUATE

EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Sec. 61.9831. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. (a) In accordance with this subchapter and board rules, the board shall establish and administer a program to award scholarships to undergraduate students who are enrolled in educator preparation programs at public or private institutions of higher education in this state and who agree to teach mathematics or science courses in certain public high schools in this state for a specified period after graduation.

(b) The amount of a scholarship under this subchapter for a semester or other academic term is equal to the amount of tuition that the public or private institution of higher education in which the scholarship recipient is enrolled charges the recipient for that semester or other term.

Sec. 61.9832. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive a scholarship under this subchapter, a student must:

(1) be enrolled in a State Board for Educator Certification accredited educator preparation program that is provided by a public or private institution of higher education in this state and that prepares students to obtain appropriate certification to teach a mathematics or science course in a public high school in this state;

(2) maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale or the equivalent; and

(3) enter into an agreement with the board as provided by Section 61.9833.

(b) The board may limit the number of scholarships that may be awarded under this subchapter in an academic year. If the amount available for scholarships under this subchapter is insufficient to provide a scholarship to each eligible applicant, the board shall establish criteria to determine which applicants will be granted a scholarship as the board determines appropriate to further the purposes of this subchapter.

Sec. 61.9833. AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS. (a) To qualify for a scholarship under this subchapter, a person must enter into a written agreement with the board as provided by this section. The agreement must:

(1) specify the conditions the person must satisfy to receive the scholarship award;

(2) require the person to earn a baccalaureate degree through completion of a State Board for Educator Certification accredited educator preparation program described by Section 61.9832(a)(1);

(3) require the person to obtain, within the period prescribed by board rule, appropriate certification to teach a mathematics or science course in a public high school in this state;

(4) require the person to accept, during the first school year that begins after the date the person obtains the appropriate certification, an offer of full-time employment to teach a mathematics or science course in a public high school in this state designated by the Texas Education Agency as having a shortage of teachers certified to teach in those fields;

(5) provide that any scholarship award the person receives under this subchapter constitutes a loan until the person:

(A) completes four consecutive years of full-time employment primarily teaching mathematics or science courses in a public high school in this state described by Subdivision (4), beginning with the school year described by Subdivision (4), and satisfies any other applicable conditions of the agreement; or

(B) is excused from the repayment obligation in accordance with law;

(6) require the board to deduct from the conditional amount owed by the person, at the end of each year of teaching completed by the person in accordance with the agreement, the amount of the scholarship received by the person for an academic year; and

(7) require the person to sign a promissory note acknowledging the conditional nature of the scholarship award received and promising to repay any remaining amount of that assistance plus applicable interest and reasonable collection costs if the person does not satisfy the applicable conditions and is not excused from the repayment obligation in accordance with law.

(b) The board shall determine the terms of the promissory note required by Subsection (a)(7). To the extent practicable, the terms must be the same as those applicable to state or federally guaranteed student loans made at the same time.

Sec. 61.9834. EXCEPTIONS TO TEACHING AND REPAYMENT OBLIGATIONS. (a) A person is not considered to be in violation of the teaching obligation in the agreement described by Section 61.9833 during any period in which the person:

(1) is pursuing a full-time course of study related to the field of teaching offered by a public or private institution of higher education in this state and approved by the State Board for Educator Certification;

(2) is serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States;

(3) is temporarily totally disabled for a period not to exceed 36 months as established by the affidavit of a qualified physician;

(4) is unable to secure employment for a period not to exceed 12 months because of care required by a disabled spouse or child;

(5) is seeking and unable to find, for a single period not to exceed 12 months, full-time employment teaching mathematics or science courses in a public high school in this state designated under Section 61.9833(a)(4) as having a shortage of math and science teachers; or

(6) satisfies the provisions of any other teaching exception adopted by the board.

(b) A person is excused from the repayment obligation in a promissory note described by Section 61.9833 if:

(1) the person becomes permanently totally disabled as established by the affidavit of a qualified physician; or

(2) the board waives repayment in the case of extreme hardship to the person.

(c) A person who is employed at a public high school designated under Section 61.9833(a)(4) as having a shortage of math and science teachers is not required to change schools in a subsequent school year if the high school fails to receive that designation for that subsequent year.

Sec. 61.9835. GRANTS, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS. In addition to money appropriated by the legislature, the board may solicit and accept grants, gifts, and donations from any public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter.

Sec. 61.9836. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules necessary to administer this subchapter, including rules providing for the manner in which a person may apply for a scholarship.

(b) The board shall distribute to each educator preparation program of a public or private institution of higher education in this state a copy of the rules adopted under this section.

SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt rules for the public high school mathematics and science teachers undergraduate education scholarship program under Subchapter FF, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than December 31, 2009.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.