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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to student loan repayment assistance under the math and |
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science scholars loan repayment program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.9832, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) To be eligible to receive loan repayment assistance |
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under this subchapter, a person must: |
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(1) apply annually for the loan repayment assistance |
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in the manner prescribed by the board; |
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(2) be a United States citizen; |
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(3) have completed an undergraduate or graduate |
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program in mathematics or science; |
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(4) have a cumulative grade point average of at least |
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3.0 [3.5] on a four-point scale or the equivalent; |
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(5) be: |
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(A) certified under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, to |
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teach mathematics or science in a public school in this state; or |
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(B) teaching under a probationary teaching |
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certificate; |
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(6) have been employed for at least one year as a |
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teacher teaching mathematics or science at a public school that |
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receives funding under Title I, Elementary and Secondary Education |
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Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.); |
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(7) not be in default on any other education loan; |
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(8) not receive any other state or federal loan |
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repayment assistance, including a Teacher Education Assistance for |
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College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant or teacher loan |
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forgiveness; |
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(9) enter into an agreement with the board under |
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Subsection (c); and |
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(10) comply with any other requirement adopted by the |
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board under this subchapter. |
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(c) To receive loan repayment assistance under this |
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subchapter, a person must enter into an agreement with the board |
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that includes the following provisions: |
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(1) the person will accept an offer of full-time |
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employment to teach mathematics or science, as applicable based on |
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the person's certification, in a public school that receives |
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funding under Title I, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of |
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1965 (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.); |
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(2) the person will complete four consecutive years of |
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employment as a full-time classroom teacher in a school described |
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by Subdivision (1) whose primary duty is to teach mathematics or |
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science, as applicable, based on the person's certification; |
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(3) beginning with the school year immediately |
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following the last of the four consecutive school years described |
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by Subdivision (2), the person will complete an [four] additional |
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number of consecutive school years teaching in any public school in |
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this state, as prescribed by board rule; and |
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(4) the person acknowledges the conditional nature of |
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the loan repayment assistance. |
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(c-1) The rules adopted under Subsection (c)(3) may not |
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require a person to complete more than four additional consecutive |
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school years of teaching as described by that subdivision. |
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SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt rules necessary to administer Section 61.9832, |
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Education Code, as amended by this Act. |
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(b) Section 61.9832, Education Code, as amended by this Act, |
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applies only to a loan repayment assistance agreement entered into |
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under Subchapter KK, Chapter 61, Education Code, on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A loan repayment assistance agreement |
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entered into before the effective date of this Act is governed by |
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the law in effect immediately before that date, and the former law |
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is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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* * * * * |