Bill Text: MS HB1412 | 2014 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Teacher Education Alternate Route Certification Scholars Program; establish.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Failed) 2014-03-04 - Died In Committee [HB1412 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2014-HB1412-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2014 Regular Session
To: Universities and Colleges; Appropriations
By: Representatives Moore, Faulkner, Dixon
House Bill 1412
(As Passed the House)
AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-106-39, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CREATE THE TEACHER EDUCATION ALTERNATE ROUTE CERTIFICATION SCHOLARS PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING; TO LIMIT THE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF THE SCHOLARSHIP A QUALIFYING RECIPIENT MAY RECEIVE TO $5,000.00, TO ESTABLISH THE CRITERIA TO DETERMINE A SCHOLAR ELIGIBILITY FOR RECEIPT OF A SCHOLARSHIP UNDER THE PROGRAM; TO PRESCRIBE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OWED TO THE STATE UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM; TO ALLOW CERTAIN PROGRAM PARTICIPATES TO RECEIVE AN ANNUAL SUPPLEMENT OF $6,000.00 UP TO A MAXIMUM OF FIVE YEARS FOR TEACHING A SCHOOL RATED AS "D" OR "F"; TO PRESCRIBE THE MANNER BY WHICH SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ARE REQUIRED TO REPAY THE AMOUNTS PROVIDED UNDER THE PROGRAM IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE TO PERFORM CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS; TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO PROMULGATE RULES NECESSARY TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 37-106-39, Mississippi Code of 1972:
37-106-39. (1) There is created the Teacher Education Alternate Route Certification Scholars Program administered by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. The program shall provide an annual scholarship not to exceed the cost of the program fees and no more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00). Programs fee for which a qualifying individual are eligible include:
(a) Mississippi Alternate Path to Quality Teachers Training Institute;
(b) Teach Mississippi Institute;
(c) Career Tech Education (CTE);
(d) MAT;
(e) Initial Praxis exams.
(2) Qualifying alternate route certification teacher education scholars must:
(a) Hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher learning;
(b) Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale on the last sixty (60) credit hours of baccalaureate work;
(c) Meet the Mississippi minimum score requirements for national exams as required for educator certification as determined by the State Department of Education; and
(d) Complete a criminal background check as specified under Section 37-9-17.
(3) A student may receive a scholarship from the program for no longer than one (1) year if the student remains enrolled in the program and makes satisfactory progress towards completion.
(4) (a) If a teacher education alternate route certified scholar completes the program and is employed as a teacher by a Mississippi public school board, the scholar is not required to repay the scholarship amount so long as the scholar teaches in a Mississippi public school. The entire scholarship amount shall be forgiven if the scholar remains employed as a Mississippi public school teacher for two (2) years or, if a MAT degree is completed, three (3) years.
(b) Any teacher who enters and successfully completes the Education Alternate Route Certification Scholars Program, and is employed as a teacher by a Mississippi public school board, in a school district rated as "D" or "F", in addition to being exempt from the repayment of loan requirement while employed as a Mississippi public school teacher, such education alternate route certification scholar shall also receive an annual salary supplement of Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) for each year the scholar remains in the "D" or "F" school district, up to a maximum of five (5) years after the completion of the scholars program. Each scholar employed in a Mississippi public school under the provisions of this paragraph shall endeavor, within the five-year period of initial employment, to fulfill the necessary requirements to acquire a master teacher certificate from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, at which time the scholar shall be eligible to receive an annual salary supplement for such National Board Certified teachers under the provisions of Section 37-19-7. However, if any teacher education scholar graduate receiving an annual salary supplement provided for in this paragraph shall complete the certification requirements to become a National Board Certified teacher within the five-year period of eligibility for salary supplementation, that teacher shall be entitled to only the annual salary supplement provided for such National Board Certified teachers, such that the teacher receives only one (1) annual salary supplement of Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00).
(5) If a teacher education alternate route certification scholar does not complete the program, or if the scholar graduates but does not teach in a Mississippi public school, the scholar must repay the total amount awarded, plus annual interest at a rate to be determined by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.
(a) Interest begins accruing the first day of the thirteenth month after the month in which the recipient completes an approved teacher education alternate route certification program or after the month in which enrollment as a full-time student is terminated. Interest does not accrue during any period of deferment or eligible teaching service.
(b) The repayment period begins the first day of the thirteenth month after the month in which the recipient completes an approved alternate route teacher certification program or after the month in which enrollment as a full-time student is terminated.
(c) The terms and conditions of the scholarship repayment must be contained in a promissory note and a repayment schedule. The loan must be paid within five (5) years after the date of program completion or termination of full-time enrollment, including any periods of deferment. A shorter repayment period may be granted. The minimum monthly repayment is Fifty Dollars ($50.00) or the unpaid balance, unless otherwise approved, except that the monthly payment may not be less than the accruing interest. The recipient may prepay any part of the scholarship without penalty.
(d) The holder of the promissory note may grant a deferment of repayment for a recipient who is a full-time student, who is unable to secure a teaching position that would qualify as repayment, who becomes disabled, or who experiences other hardships. Such a deferment may be granted for a total of twenty-four (24) months.
(e) If a student defaults on the scholarship, the entire unpaid balance, including interest accrued, becomes due and payable at the option of the holder of the promissory note, or when the recipient is no longer able to pay or no longer intends to pay. The recipient is responsible for paying all reasonable attorney's fees and other costs and charges necessary for administration of the collection process.
(6) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall promulgate such rules as are necessary to administer the Teacher Education Alternate Route Certification Scholars Program and establish necessary eligibility criteria not specifically set forth in this section.
(7) The provision of this act shall be subject to appropriation by the Legislature.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.
