Session of 2023
HOUSE BILL No. 2081
By Committee on Education
1-19
AN ACT establishing the aspiring future teacher of the year scholarship
program; making and concerning appropriations for the fiscal years
ending June 30, 2024, June 30, 2025, June 30, 2026, June 30, 2027, and
June 30, 2028, for the department of education for such scholarships.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
(a) There is appropriated for the above agency from the state general
fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, the following:
Aspiring future teacher of the year scholarship program ...............$160,000
Sec. 2.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
(a) There is appropriated for the above agency from the state general
fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the following:
Aspiring future teacher of the year scholarship program ...............$160,000
Provided, That any unencumbered balance in the aspiring future teacher of
the year scholarship program account in excess of $100 as of June 30,
2024, is hereby reappropriated for fiscal year 2025.
Sec. 3.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
(a) There is appropriated for the above agency from the state general
fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, the following:
Aspiring future teacher of the year scholarship program ...............$160,000
Provided, That any unencumbered balance in the aspiring future teacher of
the year scholarship program account in excess of $100 as of June 30,
2025, is hereby reappropriated for fiscal year 2026.
Sec. 4.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
(a) There is appropriated for the above agency from the state general
fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the following:
Aspiring future teacher of the year scholarship program ...............$160,000
Provided, That any unencumbered balance in the aspiring future teacher of
the year scholarship program account in excess of $100 as of June 30,
2026, is hereby reappropriated for fiscal year 2027.
Sec. 5.
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
(a) There is appropriated for the above agency from the state general
fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2028, the following:
Aspiring future teacher of the year scholarship program ...............$160,000
Provided, That any unencumbered balance in the aspiring future teacher of
the year scholarship program account in excess of $100 as of June 30,
2027, is hereby reappropriated for fiscal year 2028.
Sec. 6. Sections 6 through 10, and amendments thereto, shall be
known and may be cited as the aspiring future teacher of the year
scholarship program act.
Sec. 7. As used in the aspiring future teacher of the year scholarship
program act:
(a) "Postsecondary educational institution" means the same as defined
in K.S.A. 74-3201b, and amendments thereto.
(b) "Private independent postsecondary educational institution"
means any not-for-profit institution of postsecondary education with its
main campus or principal place of operation in Kansas that is operated
independently and not controlled or administered by any state agency or
subdivision of the state, maintains open enrollment and is accredited by a
nationally recognized accrediting agency for higher education in the
United States.
(c) "Qualified student" means a person who: (1) Is a resident of the
state of Kansas; and (2) has been accepted for admission to or is enrolled
in a course of instruction leading to licensure as a teacher in a
postsecondary educational institution or private independent
postsecondary educational institution.
Sec. 8. (a) There is hereby established the aspiring future teacher of
the year scholarship program.
(b) (1) A scholarship may be awarded under the program to any
qualified student and may be renewed for each such student who remains
qualified for the scholarship. Determination of the students qualified for
such scholarships shall be made by the commissioner of education. In
making such determination, the commissioner shall consult with the
immediately preceding school year's recipients of the Kansas teacher of
the year award. To the extent practicable, the scholarships shall be
awarded to qualified applicants who have similar backgrounds and
attributes of such recipients.
(2) Within the limitations of appropriations therefor, eight
scholarships shall be awarded annually, and the amount awarded to each
applicant shall be $2,500 each semester.
(3) If a student is not enrolled on a full-time basis, a student shall
complete the course of study within the time period specified in the
agreement and shall receive a proportionate amount of the scholarship
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allowed under subsection (b)(2) based upon the number of hours enrolled
in an academic period and computed as a fraction of the total number of
credit hours required for full-time enrollment.
Sec. 9. (a) An applicant for designation as a qualified student and for
the award of a scholarship under the aspiring future teacher of the year
scholarship program shall provide to the commissioner of education, on
forms supplied by the commissioner, information required by the
commissioner.
(b) As a condition to awarding a scholarship under this act, the
commissioner and the applicant shall enter into an agreement, which shall
require the applicant to:
(1) Complete the required course of instruction as specified in the
agreement;
(2) obtain and maintain necessary licensure as specified in the
agreement;
(3) engage in teaching in Kansas and comply with such other terms
and conditions as may be specified by such agreement;
(4) commence teaching on a full-time basis in Kansas within six
months after licensure in an accredited public elementary or secondary
school in accordance with the agreement and continue teaching on a full-
time basis for a period of not less than two years; and
(5) maintain records and make reports to the commissioner as
required by the commissioner to document the satisfaction of the
obligations under this act and the agreement.
Sec. 10. The state board of education shall adopt rules and regulations
for the administration of the aspiring future teacher of the year scholarship
program and establish terms, conditions and obligations, which shall be
incorporated into the provisions of any agreement entered into between the
commissioner of education and an applicant for the award of a scholarship
under the program. The terms, conditions and obligations shall be
consistent with the provisions of law relating to the program.
Sec. 11. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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