1 HB435
2 218008-2
3 By Representatives Wingo, Standridge, Holmes, Fincher, Mooney
4 and Garrett
5 RFD: Ways and Means Education
6 First Read: 02-MAR-22
Page 0 HB435
1
2 ENROLLED, An Act,
3 Relating to the Alabama Math and Science Teacher
4 Education Program; to amend Sections 16-5-54 and 16-5-55, Code
5 of Alabama 1975; to increase the per semester loan repayment
6 award for qualified math and science teachers.
7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
8 Section 1. Sections 16-5-54 and 16-5-55, Code of
9 Alabama 1975, are amended to read a follows:
10 "§16-5-54.
11 "(a) To be eligible for the base program of two
12 three thousand five seven hundred fifty dollars ($2,500)
13 ($3,750) per semester for math and science teachers and one
14 thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per semester for
15 computer science teachers, an applicant shall satisfy all of
16 the following:
17 "(1) Be a graduate of a State Board of Education
18 approved program in math, science, or computer science, at the
19 baccalaureate or master's level after the 2018 spring semester
20 term from an approved Alabama institution and hold an initial
21 middle level or secondary professional educator certificate
22 endorsed in math, science, or computer science that was issued
23 based upon completion of the approved program in math,
24 science, or computer science. A teacher who only earns a
25 passing score on the Praxis test in math, science, or computer
Page 1 HB435
1 science to add a certificate endorsement for math, science, or
2 computer science, and who has not completed an entire approved
3 program, does not satisfy this requirement.
4 "(2) Holds a valid Alabama professional educator
5 certificate endorsed in middle level or secondary math,
6 science, or computer science, or any combination of the three.
7 "(3) Teaches a schedule in which at least
8 three-fourths of the full-time teaching load is comprised of
9 math, science, or computer science in an Alabama public school
10 system.
11 "(4) Is a citizen or a lawful permanent resident of
12 the United States.
13 "(5) Is a resident of Alabama and provides
14 documentation proving a permanent connection to the State of
15 Alabama. The commission shall accept any one of the following
16 as proof of residency:
17 "a. A current valid Alabama driver's driver license.
18 "b. A current valid Alabama vehicle registration.
19 "c. A current valid Alabama voter registration card.
20 "(6) Has outstanding federal student loans,
21 subsidized or unsubsidized.
22 "(7) Satisfies additional continuing eligibility
23 criteria established by the commission.
24 "(b) In order to receive an additional supplement
25 pursuant to this article, in addition to the criteria listed
Page 2 HB435
1 in subsection (a), a recipient shall also teach math, science,
2 or computer science, or any combination of the three, in a
3 public school system within the state with an acute teacher
4 shortage in math, science, or computer science, or any
5 combination of the three, for which the teacher is properly
6 certified, as identified by the commission in consultation
7 with the Alabama State Department of Education or in a school
8 that has been designated as a failing school, or any other
9 term adopted to identify an underperforming school, by the
10 Alabama State Board of Education or the Legislature.
11 "§16-5-55.
12 "(a) The program shall be used to provide a loan
13 repayment for federal student loans in the following amounts:
14 "(1)a. Prior to the 2022 fall semester, Five five
15 thousand dollars ($5,000) per year, or two thousand five
16 hundred dollars ($2,500) per semester worked, for a maximum of
17 four consecutive years for a teacher with a valid Alabama
18 professional educator certificate endorsed in middle level or
19 secondary math or science who graduated from a teacher
20 education program at an approved institution after the 2018
21 spring semester term and is teaching in an Alabama public
22 school.
23 "b. Three thousand dollars ($3,000) per year, or one
24 thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per semester worked,
25 for a maximum of four consecutive years for a teacher with a
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1 valid Alabama professional educator certificate endorsed in
2 computer science who graduated from a teacher education
3 program at an approved institution after the 2021 spring
4 semester term and is teaching in an Alabama public school.
5 "c. Beginning after the 2022 spring semester, seven
6 thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) per year, or three
7 thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($3,750) per semester
8 worked, for a maximum of four consecutive years for a teacher
9 with a valid Alabama professional educator certificate
10 endorsed in middle level or secondary math or science who
11 graduated from a teacher education program at an approved
12 institution after the 2018 spring semester term and is
13 teaching in an Alabama public school. Payments made under this
14 paragraph may only be made to eligible teachers who fulfilled
15 the per semester requirements for the 2022 fall semester and
16 forward.
17 "(2)a. An additional two thousand five hundred
18 dollars ($2,500) per year, or one thousand two hundred fifty
19 dollars ($1,250) per semester worked, for a maximum of four
20 consecutive years for a teacher who satisfies all criteria
21 listed in Sections 16-5-54, 16-5-54.1, and 16-5-54.2, and who
22 also is teaching math or science in a public school in a
23 school system within the state with an acute teacher shortage
24 in math or science, or both, as identified by the commission
25 in consultation with the Alabama State Department of Education
Page 4 HB435
1 or in a school that has been designated as a failing school,
2 or any other term adopted to identify an underperforming
3 school by the Alabama State Board of Education or the
4 Legislature.
5 "b. An additional one thousand dollars ($1,000) per
6 year, or five hundred dollars ($500) per semester worked, for
7 a maximum of four consecutive years for a teacher who
8 satisfies all criteria listed in Sections 16-5-54, 16-5-54.1,
9 and 16-5-54.2, and who also is teaching computer science in a
10 public school in a school system within the state with an
11 acute teacher shortage in computer science as identified by
12 the commission in consultation with the Alabama State
13 Department of Education or in a school that has been
14 designated as a failing school, or any other term adopted to
15 identify an underperforming school, by the Alabama State Board
16 of Education or the Legislature.
17 "(b) Loan repayment award recipients shall reapply
18 for the program annually.
19 "(c) Loan repayment awards shall be distributed
20 directly to the recipient teacher in two disbursements during
21 the applicable year: One disbursement after January 1 and the
22 second disbursement after June 1. Each recipient shall provide
23 documentation from the employing school system as proof that
24 he or she has taught for a semester. If the award amount is
Page 5 HB435
1 larger than the outstanding loan balance, the award amount
2 shall be reduced to the amount of the loan balance.
3 "(d) The requirements of this article are contingent
4 upon available funding for the program.
5 "(e) The commission shall determine the necessary
6 procedures for awarding loan repayments if the number of
7 eligible applicants and recipients exceeds available funding.
8 "(f) The recipient shall notify the commission in
9 writing of any change in status within 30 days after the
10 change. Failure to notify the commission of a change in status
11 shall affect future eligibility. All of the following
12 constitute a change in status:
13 "(1) A change in name.
14 "(2) A change in residence.
15 "(3) A change in employment status.
16 "(g) To receive a loan repayment check pursuant to
17 this article, a teacher shall register online with the state
18 Comptroller.
19 "(h) A loan repayment check is considered income by
20 the Internal Revenue Service, and recipients shall be made
21 aware of that fact.
22 "(i) Any funds appropriated to the program shall be
23 nonreverting.
24 "(j) Additional funds shall be made available to
25 teachers who also teach math, science, or computer science in
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1 school systems of the state where the shortages of math,
2 science, or computer science teachers, or any combination of
3 the three, are most severe. The commission, in consultation
4 with the Alabama State Department of Education, shall
5 determine which school systems in the state have the greatest
6 shortage areas.
7 "(k) A recipient who receives a loan repayment award
8 and continues to satisfy employment criteria shall continue to
9 receive an award for the four-year limit regardless of whether
10 the employing school system retains its acute shortage
11 designation or the employing school is removed from the
12 failing school list. If a recipient leaves an acute shortage
13 system or a failing school and accepts employment in a school
14 system or school that does not hold an acute shortage system
15 or failing school designation, the recipient shall no longer
16 qualify to receive supplemental funds."
17 Section 2. This act shall become effective on the
18 first day of the third month following its passage and
19 approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
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1
2
3
4
Speaker of the House of Representatives
5
6 President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives7
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in8
9 and was passed by the House 31-MAR-22.
10
11 Jeff Woodard
12 Clerk
13
14
15
Senate16 07-APR-22 Passed
17
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