| 8 | | - | Page 0 HB435 |
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| 9 | | - | 1 |
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| 10 | | - | 2 ENROLLED, An Act, |
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| 11 | | - | 3 Relating to the Alabama Math and Science Teacher |
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| 12 | | - | 4 Education Program; to amend Sections 16-5-54 and 16-5-55, Code |
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| 13 | | - | 5 of Alabama 1975; to increase the per semester loan repayment |
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| 14 | | - | 6 award for qualified math and science teachers. |
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| 15 | | - | 7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: |
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| 16 | | - | 8 Section 1. Sections 16-5-54 and 16-5-55, Code of |
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| 17 | | - | 9 Alabama 1975, are amended to read a follows: |
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| 18 | | - | 10 "§16-5-54. |
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| 19 | | - | 11 "(a) To be eligible for the base program of two |
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| 20 | | - | 12 three thousand five seven hundred fifty dollars ($2,500) |
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| 21 | | - | 13 ($3,750) per semester for math and science teachers and one |
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| 22 | | - | 14 thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per semester for |
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| 23 | | - | 15 computer science teachers, an applicant shall satisfy all of |
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| 24 | | - | 16 the following: |
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| 25 | | - | 17 "(1) Be a graduate of a State Board of Education |
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| 26 | | - | 18 approved program in math, science, or computer science, at the |
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| 27 | | - | 19 baccalaureate or master's level after the 2018 spring semester |
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| 28 | | - | 20 term from an approved Alabama institution and hold an initial |
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| 29 | | - | 21 middle level or secondary professional educator certificate |
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| 30 | | - | 22 endorsed in math, science, or computer science that was issued |
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| 31 | | - | 23 based upon completion of the approved program in math, |
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| 32 | | - | 24 science, or computer science. A teacher who only earns a |
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| 33 | | - | 25 passing score on the Praxis test in math, science, or computer |
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| 34 | | - | Page 1 HB435 |
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| 35 | | - | 1 science to add a certificate endorsement for math, science, or |
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| 36 | | - | 2 computer science, and who has not completed an entire approved |
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| 37 | | - | 3 program, does not satisfy this requirement. |
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| 38 | | - | 4 "(2) Holds a valid Alabama professional educator |
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| 39 | | - | 5 certificate endorsed in middle level or secondary math, |
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| 40 | | - | 6 science, or computer science, or any combination of the three. |
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| 41 | | - | 7 "(3) Teaches a schedule in which at least |
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| 42 | | - | 8 three-fourths of the full-time teaching load is comprised of |
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| 43 | | - | 9 math, science, or computer science in an Alabama public school |
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| 44 | | - | 10 system. |
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| 45 | | - | 11 "(4) Is a citizen or a lawful permanent resident of |
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| 46 | | - | 12 the United States. |
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| 47 | | - | 13 "(5) Is a resident of Alabama and provides |
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| 48 | | - | 14 documentation proving a permanent connection to the State of |
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| 49 | | - | 15 Alabama. The commission shall accept any one of the following |
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| 50 | | - | 16 as proof of residency: |
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| 51 | | - | 17 "a. A current valid Alabama driver's driver license. |
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| 52 | | - | 18 "b. A current valid Alabama vehicle registration. |
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| 53 | | - | 19 "c. A current valid Alabama voter registration card. |
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| 54 | | - | 20 "(6) Has outstanding federal student loans, |
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| 55 | | - | 21 subsidized or unsubsidized. |
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| 56 | | - | 22 "(7) Satisfies additional continuing eligibility |
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| 57 | | - | 23 criteria established by the commission. |
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| 58 | | - | 24 "(b) In order to receive an additional supplement |
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| 59 | | - | 25 pursuant to this article, in addition to the criteria listed |
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| 60 | | - | Page 2 HB435 |
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| 61 | | - | 1 in subsection (a), a recipient shall also teach math, science, |
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| 62 | | - | 2 or computer science, or any combination of the three, in a |
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| 63 | | - | 3 public school system within the state with an acute teacher |
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| 64 | | - | 4 shortage in math, science, or computer science, or any |
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| 65 | | - | 5 combination of the three, for which the teacher is properly |
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| 66 | | - | 6 certified, as identified by the commission in consultation |
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| 67 | | - | 7 with the Alabama State Department of Education or in a school |
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| 68 | | - | 8 that has been designated as a failing school, or any other |
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| 69 | | - | 9 term adopted to identify an underperforming school, by the |
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| 70 | | - | 10 Alabama State Board of Education or the Legislature. |
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| 71 | | - | 11 "§16-5-55. |
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| 72 | | - | 12 "(a) The program shall be used to provide a loan |
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| 73 | | - | 13 repayment for federal student loans in the following amounts: |
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| 74 | | - | 14 "(1)a. Prior to the 2022 fall semester, Five five |
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| 75 | | - | 15 thousand dollars ($5,000) per year, or two thousand five |
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| 76 | | - | 16 hundred dollars ($2,500) per semester worked, for a maximum of |
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| 77 | | - | 17 four consecutive years for a teacher with a valid Alabama |
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| 78 | | - | 18 professional educator certificate endorsed in middle level or |
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| 79 | | - | 19 secondary math or science who graduated from a teacher |
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| 80 | | - | 20 education program at an approved institution after the 2018 |
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| 81 | | - | 21 spring semester term and is teaching in an Alabama public |
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| 82 | | - | 22 school. |
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| 83 | | - | 23 "b. Three thousand dollars ($3,000) per year, or one |
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| 84 | | - | 24 thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per semester worked, |
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| 85 | | - | 25 for a maximum of four consecutive years for a teacher with a |
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| 86 | | - | Page 3 HB435 |
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| 87 | | - | 1 valid Alabama professional educator certificate endorsed in |
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| 88 | | - | 2 computer science who graduated from a teacher education |
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| 89 | | - | 3 program at an approved institution after the 2021 spring |
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| 90 | | - | 4 semester term and is teaching in an Alabama public school. |
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| 91 | | - | 5 "c. Beginning after the 2022 spring semester, seven |
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| 92 | | - | 6 thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) per year, or three |
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| 93 | | - | 7 thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($3,750) per semester |
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| 94 | | - | 8 worked, for a maximum of four consecutive years for a teacher |
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| 95 | | - | 9 with a valid Alabama professional educator certificate |
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| 96 | | - | 10 endorsed in middle level or secondary math or science who |
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| 97 | | - | 11 graduated from a teacher education program at an approved |
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| 98 | | - | 12 institution after the 2018 spring semester term and is |
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| 99 | | - | 13 teaching in an Alabama public school. Payments made under this |
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| 100 | | - | 14 paragraph may only be made to eligible teachers who fulfilled |
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| 101 | | - | 15 the per semester requirements for the 2022 fall semester and |
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| 102 | | - | 16 forward. |
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| 103 | | - | 17 "(2)a. An additional two thousand five hundred |
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| 104 | | - | 18 dollars ($2,500) per year, or one thousand two hundred fifty |
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| 105 | | - | 19 dollars ($1,250) per semester worked, for a maximum of four |
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| 106 | | - | 20 consecutive years for a teacher who satisfies all criteria |
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| 107 | | - | 21 listed in Sections 16-5-54, 16-5-54.1, and 16-5-54.2, and who |
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| 108 | | - | 22 also is teaching math or science in a public school in a |
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| 109 | | - | 23 school system within the state with an acute teacher shortage |
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| 110 | | - | 24 in math or science, or both, as identified by the commission |
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| 111 | | - | 25 in consultation with the Alabama State Department of Education |
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| 112 | | - | Page 4 HB435 |
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| 113 | | - | 1 or in a school that has been designated as a failing school, |
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| 114 | | - | 2 or any other term adopted to identify an underperforming |
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| 115 | | - | 3 school by the Alabama State Board of Education or the |
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| 116 | | - | 4 Legislature. |
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| 117 | | - | 5 "b. An additional one thousand dollars ($1,000) per |
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| 118 | | - | 6 year, or five hundred dollars ($500) per semester worked, for |
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| 119 | | - | 7 a maximum of four consecutive years for a teacher who |
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| 120 | | - | 8 satisfies all criteria listed in Sections 16-5-54, 16-5-54.1, |
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| 121 | | - | 9 and 16-5-54.2, and who also is teaching computer science in a |
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| 122 | | - | 10 public school in a school system within the state with an |
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| 123 | | - | 11 acute teacher shortage in computer science as identified by |
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| 124 | | - | 12 the commission in consultation with the Alabama State |
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| 125 | | - | 13 Department of Education or in a school that has been |
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| 126 | | - | 14 designated as a failing school, or any other term adopted to |
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| 127 | | - | 15 identify an underperforming school, by the Alabama State Board |
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| 128 | | - | 16 of Education or the Legislature. |
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| 129 | | - | 17 "(b) Loan repayment award recipients shall reapply |
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| 130 | | - | 18 for the program annually. |
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| 131 | | - | 19 "(c) Loan repayment awards shall be distributed |
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| 132 | | - | 20 directly to the recipient teacher in two disbursements during |
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| 133 | | - | 21 the applicable year: One disbursement after January 1 and the |
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| 134 | | - | 22 second disbursement after June 1. Each recipient shall provide |
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| 135 | | - | 23 documentation from the employing school system as proof that |
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| 136 | | - | 24 he or she has taught for a semester. If the award amount is |
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| 137 | | - | Page 5 HB435 |
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| 138 | | - | 1 larger than the outstanding loan balance, the award amount |
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| 139 | | - | 2 shall be reduced to the amount of the loan balance. |
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| 140 | | - | 3 "(d) The requirements of this article are contingent |
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| 141 | | - | 4 upon available funding for the program. |
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| 142 | | - | 5 "(e) The commission shall determine the necessary |
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| 143 | | - | 6 procedures for awarding loan repayments if the number of |
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| 144 | | - | 7 eligible applicants and recipients exceeds available funding. |
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| 145 | | - | 8 "(f) The recipient shall notify the commission in |
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| 146 | | - | 9 writing of any change in status within 30 days after the |
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| 147 | | - | 10 change. Failure to notify the commission of a change in status |
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| 148 | | - | 11 shall affect future eligibility. All of the following |
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| 149 | | - | 12 constitute a change in status: |
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| 150 | | - | 13 "(1) A change in name. |
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| 151 | | - | 14 "(2) A change in residence. |
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| 152 | | - | 15 "(3) A change in employment status. |
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| 153 | | - | 16 "(g) To receive a loan repayment check pursuant to |
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| 154 | | - | 17 this article, a teacher shall register online with the state |
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| 155 | | - | 18 Comptroller. |
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| 156 | | - | 19 "(h) A loan repayment check is considered income by |
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| 157 | | - | 20 the Internal Revenue Service, and recipients shall be made |
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| 158 | | - | 21 aware of that fact. |
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| 159 | | - | 22 "(i) Any funds appropriated to the program shall be |
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| 160 | | - | 23 nonreverting. |
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| 161 | | - | 24 "(j) Additional funds shall be made available to |
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| 162 | | - | 25 teachers who also teach math, science, or computer science in |
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| 163 | | - | Page 6 HB435 |
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| 164 | | - | 1 school systems of the state where the shortages of math, |
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| 165 | | - | 2 science, or computer science teachers, or any combination of |
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| 166 | | - | 3 the three, are most severe. The commission, in consultation |
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| 167 | | - | 4 with the Alabama State Department of Education, shall |
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| 168 | | - | 5 determine which school systems in the state have the greatest |
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| 169 | | - | 6 shortage areas. |
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| 170 | | - | 7 "(k) A recipient who receives a loan repayment award |
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| 171 | | - | 8 and continues to satisfy employment criteria shall continue to |
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| 172 | | - | 9 receive an award for the four-year limit regardless of whether |
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| 173 | | - | 10 the employing school system retains its acute shortage |
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| 174 | | - | 11 designation or the employing school is removed from the |
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| 175 | | - | 12 failing school list. If a recipient leaves an acute shortage |
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| 176 | | - | 13 system or a failing school and accepts employment in a school |
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| 177 | | - | 14 system or school that does not hold an acute shortage system |
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| 178 | | - | 15 or failing school designation, the recipient shall no longer |
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| 179 | | - | 16 qualify to receive supplemental funds." |
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| 180 | | - | 17 Section 2. This act shall become effective on the |
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| 181 | | - | 18 first day of the third month following its passage and |
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| 182 | | - | 19 approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law. |
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| 183 | | - | Page 7 HB435 |
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| 184 | | - | 1 |
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| 8 | + | Page 0 1 218008-1:n:02/22/2022:KF/cmg LSA2022-0106F |
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| 191 | | - | 6 President and Presiding Officer of the Senate |
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| 192 | | - | House of Representatives7 |
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| 193 | | - | I hereby certify that the within Act originated in8 |
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| 194 | | - | 9 and was passed by the House 31-MAR-22. |
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| 195 | | - | 10 |
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| 196 | | - | 11 Jeff Woodard |
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| 197 | | - | 12 Clerk |
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| 198 | | - | 13 |
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| 199 | | - | 14 |
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| 200 | | - | 15 |
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| 201 | | - | Senate16 07-APR-22 Passed |
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| 202 | | - | 17 |
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| 13 | + | 6 |
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| 14 | + | 7 |
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| 15 | + | 8 SYNOPSIS: Under existing law, the Alabama Commission |
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| 16 | + | 9 on Higher Education administers the Alabama Math |
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| 17 | + | 10 and Science Teacher Education Program (AMSTEP) |
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| 18 | + | 11 which provides student loan repayment for public |
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| 19 | + | 12 high school math and science teachers who serve in |
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| 20 | + | 13 underserved areas of the state. |
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| 21 | + | 14 This bill would increase the per semester |
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| 22 | + | 15 loan repayment award for math and science teachers. |
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| 23 | + | 16 |
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| 24 | + | 17 A BILL |
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| 25 | + | 18 TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 26 | + | 19 AN ACT |
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| 27 | + | 20 |
|---|
| 28 | + | 21 Relating to the Alabama Math and Science Teacher |
|---|
| 29 | + | 22 Education Program; to amend Sections 16-5-54 and 16-5-55, Code |
|---|
| 30 | + | 23 of Alabama 1975; to increase the per semester loan repayment |
|---|
| 31 | + | 24 award for qualified math and science teachers. |
|---|
| 32 | + | 25 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: |
|---|
| 33 | + | 26 Section 1. Sections 16-5-54 and 16-5-55, Code of |
|---|
| 34 | + | 27 Alabama 1975, are amended to read a follows: |
|---|
| 35 | + | Page 1 1 "§16-5-54. |
|---|
| 36 | + | 2 "(a) To be eligible for the base program of two |
|---|
| 37 | + | 3 three thousand five seven hundred fifty dollars ($2,500) |
|---|
| 38 | + | 4 ($3,750) per semester for math and science teachers and one |
|---|
| 39 | + | 5 thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per semester for |
|---|
| 40 | + | 6 computer science teachers, an applicant shall satisfy all of |
|---|
| 41 | + | 7 the following: |
|---|
| 42 | + | 8 "(1) Be a graduate of a State Board of Education |
|---|
| 43 | + | 9 approved program in math, science, or computer science, at the |
|---|
| 44 | + | 10 baccalaureate or master's level after the 2018 spring semester |
|---|
| 45 | + | 11 term from an approved Alabama institution and hold an initial |
|---|
| 46 | + | 12 middle level or secondary professional educator certificate |
|---|
| 47 | + | 13 endorsed in math, science, or computer science that was issued |
|---|
| 48 | + | 14 based upon completion of the approved program in math, |
|---|
| 49 | + | 15 science, or computer science. A teacher who only earns a |
|---|
| 50 | + | 16 passing score on the Praxis test in math, science, or computer |
|---|
| 51 | + | 17 science to add a certificate endorsement for math, science, or |
|---|
| 52 | + | 18 computer science, and who has not completed an entire approved |
|---|
| 53 | + | 19 program, does not satisfy this requirement. |
|---|
| 54 | + | 20 "(2) Holds a valid Alabama professional educator |
|---|
| 55 | + | 21 certificate endorsed in middle level or secondary math, |
|---|
| 56 | + | 22 science, or computer science, or any combination of the three. |
|---|
| 57 | + | 23 "(3) Teaches a schedule in which at least |
|---|
| 58 | + | 24 three-fourths of the full-time teaching load is comprised of |
|---|
| 59 | + | 25 math, science, or computer science in an Alabama public school |
|---|
| 60 | + | 26 system. |
|---|
| 61 | + | Page 2 1 "(4) Is a citizen or a lawful permanent resident of |
|---|
| 62 | + | 2 the United States. |
|---|
| 63 | + | 3 "(5) Is a resident of Alabama and provides |
|---|
| 64 | + | 4 documentation proving a permanent connection to the State of |
|---|
| 65 | + | 5 Alabama. The commission shall accept any one of the following |
|---|
| 66 | + | 6 as proof of residency: |
|---|
| 67 | + | 7 "a. A current valid Alabama driver's driver license. |
|---|
| 68 | + | 8 "b. A current valid Alabama vehicle registration. |
|---|
| 69 | + | 9 "c. A current valid Alabama voter registration card. |
|---|
| 70 | + | 10 "(6) Has outstanding federal student loans, |
|---|
| 71 | + | 11 subsidized or unsubsidized. |
|---|
| 72 | + | 12 "(7) Satisfies additional continuing eligibility |
|---|
| 73 | + | 13 criteria established by the commission. |
|---|
| 74 | + | 14 "(b) In order to receive an additional supplement |
|---|
| 75 | + | 15 pursuant to this article, in addition to the criteria listed |
|---|
| 76 | + | 16 in subsection (a), a recipient shall also teach math, science, |
|---|
| 77 | + | 17 or computer science, or any combination of the three, in a |
|---|
| 78 | + | 18 public school system within the state with an acute teacher |
|---|
| 79 | + | 19 shortage in math, science, or computer science, or any |
|---|
| 80 | + | 20 combination of the three, for which the teacher is properly |
|---|
| 81 | + | 21 certified, as identified by the commission in consultation |
|---|
| 82 | + | 22 with the Alabama State Department of Education or in a school |
|---|
| 83 | + | 23 that has been designated as a failing school, or any other |
|---|
| 84 | + | 24 term adopted to identify an underperforming school, by the |
|---|
| 85 | + | 25 Alabama State Board of Education or the Legislature. |
|---|
| 86 | + | 26 "§16-5-55. |
|---|
| 87 | + | Page 3 1 "(a) The program shall be used to provide a loan |
|---|
| 88 | + | 2 repayment for federal student loans in the following amounts: |
|---|
| 89 | + | 3 "(1)a. Prior to the 2022 fall semester, Five five |
|---|
| 90 | + | 4 thousand dollars ($5,000) per year, or two thousand five |
|---|
| 91 | + | 5 hundred dollars ($2,500) per semester worked, for a maximum of |
|---|
| 92 | + | 6 four consecutive years for a teacher with a valid Alabama |
|---|
| 93 | + | 7 professional educator certificate endorsed in middle level or |
|---|
| 94 | + | 8 secondary math or science who graduated from a teacher |
|---|
| 95 | + | 9 education program at an approved institution after the 2018 |
|---|
| 96 | + | 10 spring semester term and is teaching in an Alabama public |
|---|
| 97 | + | 11 school. |
|---|
| 98 | + | 12 "b. Three thousand dollars ($3,000) per year, or one |
|---|
| 99 | + | 13 thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per semester worked, |
|---|
| 100 | + | 14 for a maximum of four consecutive years for a teacher with a |
|---|
| 101 | + | 15 valid Alabama professional educator certificate endorsed in |
|---|
| 102 | + | 16 computer science who graduated from a teacher education |
|---|
| 103 | + | 17 program at an approved institution after the 2021 spring |
|---|
| 104 | + | 18 semester term and is teaching in an Alabama public school. |
|---|
| 105 | + | 19 "c. Beginning after the 2022 spring semester, seven |
|---|
| 106 | + | 20 thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) per year, or three |
|---|
| 107 | + | 21 thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($3,750) per semester |
|---|
| 108 | + | 22 worked, for a maximum of four consecutive years for a teacher |
|---|
| 109 | + | 23 with a valid Alabama professional educator certificate |
|---|
| 110 | + | 24 endorsed in middle level or secondary math or science who |
|---|
| 111 | + | 25 graduated from a teacher education program at an approved |
|---|
| 112 | + | 26 institution after the 2018 spring semester term and is |
|---|
| 113 | + | 27 teaching in an Alabama public school. Payments made under this |
|---|
| 114 | + | Page 4 1 paragraph may only be made to eligible teachers who fulfilled |
|---|
| 115 | + | 2 the per semester requirements for the 2022 fall semester and |
|---|
| 116 | + | 3 forward. |
|---|
| 117 | + | 4 "(2)a. An additional two thousand five hundred |
|---|
| 118 | + | 5 dollars ($2,500) per year, or one thousand two hundred fifty |
|---|
| 119 | + | 6 dollars ($1,250) per semester worked, for a maximum of four |
|---|
| 120 | + | 7 consecutive years for a teacher who satisfies all criteria |
|---|
| 121 | + | 8 listed in Sections 16-5-54, 16-5-54.1, and 16-5-54.2, and who |
|---|
| 122 | + | 9 also is teaching math or science in a public school in a |
|---|
| 123 | + | 10 school system within the state with an acute teacher shortage |
|---|
| 124 | + | 11 in math or science, or both, as identified by the commission |
|---|
| 125 | + | 12 in consultation with the Alabama State Department of Education |
|---|
| 126 | + | 13 or in a school that has been designated as a failing school, |
|---|
| 127 | + | 14 or any other term adopted to identify an underperforming |
|---|
| 128 | + | 15 school by the Alabama State Board of Education or the |
|---|
| 129 | + | 16 Legislature. |
|---|
| 130 | + | 17 "b. An additional one thousand dollars ($1,000) per |
|---|
| 131 | + | 18 year, or five hundred dollars ($500) per semester worked, for |
|---|
| 132 | + | 19 a maximum of four consecutive years for a teacher who |
|---|
| 133 | + | 20 satisfies all criteria listed in Sections 16-5-54, 16-5-54.1, |
|---|
| 134 | + | 21 and 16-5-54.2, and who also is teaching computer science in a |
|---|
| 135 | + | 22 public school in a school system within the state with an |
|---|
| 136 | + | 23 acute teacher shortage in computer science as identified by |
|---|
| 137 | + | 24 the commission in consultation with the Alabama State |
|---|
| 138 | + | 25 Department of Education or in a school that has been |
|---|
| 139 | + | 26 designated as a failing school, or any other term adopted to |
|---|
| 140 | + | Page 5 1 identify an underperforming school, by the Alabama State Board |
|---|
| 141 | + | 2 of Education or the Legislature. |
|---|
| 142 | + | 3 "(b) Loan repayment award recipients shall reapply |
|---|
| 143 | + | 4 for the program annually. |
|---|
| 144 | + | 5 "(c) Loan repayment awards shall be distributed |
|---|
| 145 | + | 6 directly to the recipient teacher in two disbursements during |
|---|
| 146 | + | 7 the applicable year: One disbursement after January 1 and the |
|---|
| 147 | + | 8 second disbursement after June 1. Each recipient shall provide |
|---|
| 148 | + | 9 documentation from the employing school system as proof that |
|---|
| 149 | + | 10 he or she has taught for a semester. If the award amount is |
|---|
| 150 | + | 11 larger than the outstanding loan balance, the award amount |
|---|
| 151 | + | 12 shall be reduced to the amount of the loan balance. |
|---|
| 152 | + | 13 "(d) The requirements of this article are contingent |
|---|
| 153 | + | 14 upon available funding for the program. |
|---|
| 154 | + | 15 "(e) The commission shall determine the necessary |
|---|
| 155 | + | 16 procedures for awarding loan repayments if the number of |
|---|
| 156 | + | 17 eligible applicants and recipients exceeds available funding. |
|---|
| 157 | + | 18 "(f) The recipient shall notify the commission in |
|---|
| 158 | + | 19 writing of any change in status within 30 days after the |
|---|
| 159 | + | 20 change. Failure to notify the commission of a change in status |
|---|
| 160 | + | 21 shall affect future eligibility. All of the following |
|---|
| 161 | + | 22 constitute a change in status: |
|---|
| 162 | + | 23 "(1) A change in name. |
|---|
| 163 | + | 24 "(2) A change in residence. |
|---|
| 164 | + | 25 "(3) A change in employment status. |
|---|
| 165 | + | Page 6 1 "(g) To receive a loan repayment check pursuant to |
|---|
| 166 | + | 2 this article, a teacher shall register online with the state |
|---|
| 167 | + | 3 Comptroller. |
|---|
| 168 | + | 4 "(h) A loan repayment check is considered income by |
|---|
| 169 | + | 5 the Internal Revenue Service, and recipients shall be made |
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| 170 | + | 6 aware of that fact. |
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| 171 | + | 7 "(i) Any funds appropriated to the program shall be |
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| 172 | + | 8 nonreverting. |
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| 173 | + | 9 "(j) Additional funds shall be made available to |
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| 174 | + | 10 teachers who also teach math, science, or computer science in |
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| 175 | + | 11 school systems of the state where the shortages of math, |
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| 176 | + | 12 science, or computer science teachers, or any combination of |
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| 177 | + | 13 the three, are most severe. The commission, in consultation |
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| 178 | + | 14 with the Alabama State Department of Education, shall |
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| 179 | + | 15 determine which school systems in the state have the greatest |
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| 180 | + | 16 shortage areas. |
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| 181 | + | 17 "(k) A recipient who receives a loan repayment award |
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| 182 | + | 18 and continues to satisfy employment criteria shall continue to |
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| 183 | + | 19 receive an award for the four-year limit regardless of whether |
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| 184 | + | 20 the employing school system retains its acute shortage |
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| 185 | + | 21 designation or the employing school is removed from the |
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| 186 | + | 22 failing school list. If a recipient leaves an acute shortage |
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| 187 | + | 23 system or a failing school and accepts employment in a school |
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| 188 | + | 24 system or school that does not hold an acute shortage system |
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| 189 | + | 25 or failing school designation, the recipient shall no longer |
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| 190 | + | 26 qualify to receive supplemental funds." |
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| 191 | + | Page 7 1 Section 2. This act shall become effective on the |
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| 192 | + | 2 first day of the third month following its passage and |
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| 193 | + | 3 approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law. |
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