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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 for school counselors |
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employed by a school district. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter M-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER M-1. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN SCHOOL COUNSELOR EDUCATION |
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LOANS |
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Sec. 61.721. LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. Subject |
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to Section 61.728, the board shall provide, in accordance with this |
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subchapter and board rules, assistance in the repayment of eligible |
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student loans for eligible school counselors who apply and qualify |
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for the assistance. |
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Sec. 61.722. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive loan |
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repayment assistance under this subchapter, a school counselor |
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must: |
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(1) apply annually for the repayment assistance in a |
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manner prescribed by the board; |
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(2) be a United States citizen or permanent resident |
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alien; |
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(3) have earned at least a master's degree related to |
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counseling from any public or accredited private institution of |
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higher education; |
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(4) be certified as a school counselor under |
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Subchapter B, Chapter 21; and |
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(5) have completed one, two, three, four, or five |
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years of consecutive employment by a school district in this state: |
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(A) all or part of which is located in a federally |
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designated mental health care health professional shortage area; or |
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(B) at a school that receives federal funding |
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under Title I, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 |
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U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.). |
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Sec. 61.723. LIMITATIONS. A school counselor may receive |
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loan repayment assistance under this subchapter for not more than |
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five years. |
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Sec. 61.724. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide |
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loan repayment assistance under this subchapter for the repayment |
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of any student loan for education at an institution of higher |
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education, a private or independent institution of higher |
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education, or a public or private out-of-state institution of |
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higher education accredited by a recognized accrediting agency, |
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including loans for undergraduate education, received by an |
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eligible person through any lender. |
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(b) The board may not provide repayment assistance for a |
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student loan that is in default at the time of the person's |
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application. |
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(c) In each state fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt |
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to allocate all funds appropriated to the board for the purpose of |
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providing loan repayment assistance under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.725. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall deliver any |
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repayment under this subchapter in a lump sum payable: |
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(1) to both the lender or other holder of the loan and |
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the school counselor; or |
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(2) directly to the lender or other holder of the loan |
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on the school counselor's behalf. |
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(b) A repayment under this subchapter may be applied to any |
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amount due in connection with the loan. |
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Sec. 61.726. AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE. (a) A school |
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counselor may receive loan repayment assistance under this |
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subchapter for each year the school counselor establishes |
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eligibility for the assistance in an amount determined by applying |
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the following applicable percentage to the maximum total amount of |
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assistance allowed for the school counselor under Subsection (b): |
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(1) for the first year, 10 percent; |
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(2) for the second year, 15 percent; |
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(3) for the third year, 20 percent; |
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(4) for the fourth year, 25 percent; and |
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(5) for the fifth year, 30 percent. |
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(b) The total amount of repayment assistance received by a |
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school counselor under this subchapter may not exceed: |
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(1) $80,000, for assistance received by a school |
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counselor who holds a doctoral degree related to counseling; and |
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(2) $40,000, for assistance received by a school |
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counselor who holds a master's degree related to counseling. |
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(c) The total amount of loan repayment assistance provided |
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under this subchapter may not exceed the sum of: |
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(1) the total amount of gifts and grants accepted by |
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the board for the repayment assistance; |
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(2) legislative appropriations for the repayment |
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assistance; and |
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(3) other funds available to the board for the |
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repayment assistance. |
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(d) The board may adjust in an equitable manner the |
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distribution amounts that school counselors would otherwise |
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receive under Subsection (a) for a year as necessary to comply with |
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Subsection (c). |
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Sec. 61.727. RULES; ADMINISTRATION. (a) The board shall |
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adopt rules necessary to administer this subchapter. |
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(b) The board shall distribute to each institution of higher |
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education or private or independent institution of higher education |
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and to any appropriate state agency and professional association |
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copies of the rules adopted under this section and other pertinent |
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information relating to this subchapter. |
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(c) The board shall administer the program under this |
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subchapter in a manner that maximizes any matching funds available |
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through other sources. |
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Sec. 61.728. APPROPRIATION CONTINGENCY; GIFTS AND GRANTS. |
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(a) The board is required to implement this subchapter only if the |
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legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If |
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the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that |
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purpose, the board may, but is not required to, implement this |
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subchapter using other money available to the board for that |
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purpose. |
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(b) The board may solicit and accept gifts and grants from |
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any public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |