Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1023 3
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By: Representative A. Collins 5
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM; 9
TO AMEND THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR LOAN 10
FORGIVENESS UNDER THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION 11
PROGRAM; TO AMEND THE LOAN REPAYMENT AMOUNTS UNDER 12
THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM; AND FOR OTHER 13
PURPOSES. 14
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Subtitle 17
TO AMEND THE STATE TEACHER EDUCATION 18
PROGRAM; AND TO AMEND THE ELIGIBILITY 19
REQUIREMENTS FOR LOAN FORGIVENESS AND 20
THE LOAN REPAYMENT AMOUNTS UNDER THE 21
STATE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM. 22
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 24
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-1604(b), concerning the standards for 26
loan repayments under the State Teacher Education Program, is amended to read 27
as follows: 28
(b) The division shall adopt standards for awarding the loan 29
repayments to a public school teacher with an Arkansas teacher's license an 30
applicant who is eligible to participate in the program under § 6 -81-1605 31
teaching in a: 32
(1) Subject area with a teacher shortage; or 33
(2) Geographic area with teacher shortage . 34
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-1605 is amended to read as follows: 36 HB1023
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6-81-1605. Eligibility. 1
To be eligible for the State Teacher Education Program, an applicant 2
shall: 3
(1) Teach full-time at: 4
(A) At a public school district in a subject area or 5
geographic area with a teacher shortage, as identified by the Division of 6
Higher Education in consultation with the Division of Elementary and 7
Secondary Education; or 8
(B) In a public early childhood education program that 9
serves children whose ages may range from birth through prekindergarten; 10
(2) Hold Either: 11
(A) Hold a valid Arkansas teacher's license ; or 12
(B) Hold a birth through prekindergarten teaching 13
credential from the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education of 14
the Department of Human Services ; and 15
(3)(A) Meet additional continuing eligibility criteria 16
established by the Division of Higher Education. 17
(B) An individual who has earned a teaching license upon 18
the successful completion of an alternative educator preparation program is 19
an eligible student under this section. 20
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SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 6 -81-1606(a), concerning loan repayments 22
under the State Teacher Education Program, is amended to read as follows: 23
(a)(1) The State Teacher Education Program shall be used to provide a 24
loan repayment for federal student loans in the amount of six thousand 25
dollars ($6,000) ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per year for a maximum of 26
three (3) five (5) years for a licensed teacher who graduated from a teacher 27
education program after April 2004 and teaches in a public school in this 28
state or successfully completed an alternative educator preparation program 29
after April 2004 and teaches in a public school in the State Teacher 30
Education Program: 31
(A) In a subject area designated by the Division of Higher 32
Education in consultation with the Division of Elementary and Secondary 33
Education as having a critical shortage of teachers; and 34
(B) Located in a geographical area of the state designated 35
by the Division of Higher Education in consultation with the Division of 36 HB1023
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Elementary and Secondary Education as having a critical shortage of teachers 1
an individual who is eligible to participate in the program under § 6 -81-2
1605. 3
(2) A licensed teacher who is given intensive support status 4
under the Teacher Excellence and Support System, § 6 -17-2801 et seq., shall 5
be ineligible for receipt of funds under the State Teacher Education Program 6
program for the school year. 7
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