81R11733 KSD-D
 
  By: Smith of Tarrant H.B. No. 3463
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to student loan repayment assistance for undergraduate
  students who agree to teach in public schools in this state that
  have shortages of teachers in math and science.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter GG to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER GG. STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR MATHEMATICS
  AND SCIENCE CLASSROOM TEACHERS
         Sec. 61.9831.  LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The
  board may provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board
  rules, assistance in the repayment of eligible student loans for
  eligible undergraduate students who agree to teach mathematics or
  science for a specified period in public schools in this state that
  are determined by the Texas Education Agency to have shortages of
  teachers in math and science.
         Sec. 61.9832.  ELIGIBILITY; AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS. (a) To
  be eligible to receive loan repayment assistance under this
  subchapter, a person must:
               (1)  apply for the loan repayment assistance in the
  manner prescribed by the board;
               (2)  be currently enrolled in an educator preparation
  program accredited by the State Board for Educator Certification
  that is provided by an institution of higher education or by a
  private or independent institution of higher education in this
  state;
               (3)  have a cumulative grade point average of at least
  2.75 on a four-point scale or the equivalent;
               (4)  enter into an agreement with the board providing
  that:
                     (A)  the person will earn a baccalaureate degree
  through completion of an educator preparation program described by
  Subdivision (2);
                     (B)  the person will graduate with a cumulative
  grade point average of at least 2.75 on a four-point scale or the
  equivalent;
                     (C)  the person will obtain, within the period
  prescribed by board rule, appropriate certification under
  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, to teach mathematics or science in a
  public school in this state;
                     (D)  beginning with the first school year that
  begins after the date the person obtains the appropriate
  certification described by Paragraph (C), the person will accept an
  offer of full-time employment to teach in a public school in this
  state selected by the person from among schools anticipated by the
  Texas Education Agency to have shortages of teachers in math and
  science for that first school year for which the person is accepting
  employment;
                     (E)  the person will complete seven consecutive
  years of employment as a full-time classroom teacher in a school
  described by Paragraph (D) whose primary duty is to teach
  mathematics or science; and
                     (F)  the person acknowledges the conditional
  nature of the loan repayment assistance; and
               (5)  comply with any other requirement adopted by the
  board under this subchapter.
         (b)  Except as provided by Section 61.9833, for the first
  school year of employment and each following consecutive school
  year of employment, as described by Subsections (a)(4)(D) and (E),
  not to exceed a total of seven years, the board may provide
  assistance for the repayment of a portion of an eligible person's
  eligible loans. Subject to the availability of funding under
  Section 61.9836 and except as otherwise provided by this
  subsection, the amount of an assistance payment provided under this
  subsection in any year to an eligible person is $5,000. The board
  shall increase that amount as necessary to adjust for inflation or,
  as determined by the board, on the basis of other relevant
  considerations. The board shall reduce the amount of a single
  assistance payment or refrain from making an assistance payment to
  an eligible person as necessary to avoid making total payments
  under this subsection to the person in an amount greater than the
  total amount of principal and interest due on the person's eligible
  loans.
         (c)  For purposes of this subchapter, not later than April 1
  of each school year, the Texas Education Agency shall determine
  which public schools in this state are anticipated to have
  shortages of math and science teachers during the following school
  year and shall provide that information to the board and to each
  educator preparation program in this state accredited by the State
  Board for Educator Certification.
         Sec. 61.9833.  EXCEPTION TO CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF EMPLOYMENT
  REQUIREMENT. The board shall excuse an otherwise eligible person
  from the requirement imposed by Section 61.9832(a)(4)(E) that the
  employment be performed in consecutive years if the break in
  employment is a result of the person's:
               (1)  full-time enrollment in a course of study related
  to the field of teaching that is approved by the State Board for
  Educator Certification and provided by an institution of higher
  education or by a private or independent institution of higher
  education in this state;
               (2)  service on active duty as a member of the armed
  forces of the United States;
               (3)  temporary total disability for a period of not
  more than 36 months as established by the affidavit of a qualified
  physician;
               (4)  inability to secure employment as required by
  Section 61.9832 for a period not to exceed 12 months, because of
  care required by a disabled spouse or child;
               (5)  inability, despite reasonable efforts, to secure,
  for a single period not to exceed 12 months, employment as required
  by Section 61.9832; or
               (6)  satisfaction of the provisions of any other
  exception adopted by the board for purposes of this section.
         Sec. 61.9834.  ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide
  under this subchapter repayment assistance for the repayment of any
  student loan that:
               (1)  is for education at a public or private
  institution of higher education; and
               (2)  is received by an eligible person through an
  eligible lender.
         (b)  If the loan is not a state or federal guaranteed student
  loan, the note or other writing governing the terms of the loan must
  require the loan proceeds to be used for expenses incurred by a
  person in attending a postsecondary educational institution.
         (c)  The board may not provide loan repayment assistance
  under this subchapter for a student loan that is in default at the
  time of the person's application for repayment assistance.
         Sec. 61.9835.  PAYMENT OF ASSISTANCE. (a) The board shall
  pay any loan repayment assistance under this subchapter in a lump
  sum:
               (1)  payable to both the holder of the loan and the
  eligible person; or
               (2)  delivered on the eligible person's behalf directly
  to the holder of the loan.
         (b)  Loan repayment assistance provided under this
  subchapter may be applied to any amount due on the loan.
         (c)  Each fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt to
  allocate all money available to the board for the purpose of
  providing loan repayment assistance under this subchapter.
         Sec. 61.9836.  FUNDING. In addition to money appropriated
  by the legislature for purposes of this subchapter, the board may
  solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or
  private entity for purposes of this subchapter.
         Sec. 61.9837.  TOTAL AMOUNT OF LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
  The total amount of loan repayment assistance paid by the board
  under this subchapter may not exceed the total amount of money
  available under Section 61.9836 for that purpose and any other
  money that the board is legally authorized to use for purposes of
  this subchapter.
         Sec. 61.9838.  RULES. If the board provides loan repayment
  assistance under this subchapter, the board shall:
               (1)  adopt rules necessary for the administration of
  this subchapter, including a rule providing for the manner in which
  a person may apply for repayment assistance; and
               (2)  distribute to each educator preparation program
  approved by the State Board for Educator Certification offered by
  an institution of higher education or by a private or independent
  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 the rules for loan repayment assistance under
  Subchapter GG, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, not
  later than December 1, 2009. The board may, if it is feasible,
  begin administering the loan repayment assistance program
  established by that subchapter in the 2009-2010 academic year.
  Otherwise, the board shall begin administering the program in the
  2010-2011 academic year.
         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.