EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0937*
SENATE BILL 937
F1 4lr2257
CF HB 1157
By: Senator Augustine
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2024
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment and Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 17, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Grow Your Own Educators Grant Program – Established 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Grow Your Own Educators Grant Program to provide 3
grants to certain local school systems for certain employees who pledge to fulfill a 4
certain service obligation as a full–time teacher in the State; requiring the State 5
Department of Education to administer the Program and to take certain actions to 6
develop and implement the program; establishing the eligibility for certain teacher 7
candidates in the Program and requiring teacher candidates to be paid a certain rate 8
and offered certain benefits under the Program; requiring collaboratives to take 9
certain actions under the Program; requiring authorizing the Governor to include a 10
certain an appropriation in the annual budget bill for the Program; requiring the 11
Department to collect and publish on its website certain data on the Program each 12
year; and generally relating to the Grow Your Own Educators Grant Program. 13
BY adding to 14
Article – Education 15
Section 18–27A–01 through 18–27A–06 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 27A. 16
Grow Your Own Educators Grant Program” 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 19
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21
Article – Education 22 2 SENATE BILL 937
SUBTITLE 27A. GROW YOUR OWN EDUCATORS GRANT PROGRAM. 1
18–27A–01. 2
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 3
INDICATED. 4
(B) “COLLABORATIVE ” MEANS AN AGREEMENT O UTLINING COMMITMENTS 5
OF A PARTNERSHIP AMO NG: 6
(1) AT LEAST ONE LOCAL SC HOOL SYSTEM ; 7
(2) AT LEAST ONE UNION EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIO N REPRESENTING 8
EMPLOYEES OF A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH TITLE 6, SUBTITLE 9
4 OR SUBTITLE 5 OF THIS ARTICLE; AND 10
(3) AT LEAST ONE INSTITUT ION OF HIGHER EDUCAT ION WITH A 11
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM AP PROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT . 12
(C) “ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL ” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO: 13
(1) IS EMPLOYED AS A NONC ERTIFIED EDUCATION S UPPORT 14
PROFESSIONAL BY A PA RTICIPATING LOCAL SC HOOL SYSTEM ; AND 15
(2) MEETS THE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS DETERMI NED BY A 16
COLLABORATIVE . 17
(D) (C) “NONCERTIFIED EDUCATIO N SUPPORT PROFESSION AL” MEANS A 18
NONCERTIFIED PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE DESI GNATED AS PART OF A BARGAINING 19
UNIT UNDER TITLE 6, SUBTITLE 5 OF THIS ARTICLE. 20
(E) (D) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE GROW YOUR OWN EDUCATORS GRANT 21
PROGRAM ESTABLISHED U NDER THIS SUBTITLE . 22
(E) “PROVISIONAL TEACHER ” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYED BY A 23
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THROUGH A PROVISIONA L CONTRACT AS A COND ITIONAL 24
TEACHER. 25
18–27A–02. 26
(A) THERE IS A GROW YOUR OWN EDUCATORS GRANT PROGRAM. 27
(B) (1) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO 28
ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO: 29 SENATE BILL 937 3
(I) ARE INTERESTED IN PUR SUING A CAREER IN TH E TEACHING 1
PROFESSION; AND 2
(II) ULTIMATELY PLEDGE TO FULFILL A SERVICE OB LIGATION 3
AS A TEACHER EMPLOYE D FULL–TIME IN A HIGH–NEEDS SCHOOL , GRADE LEVEL, OR 4
CONTENT AREA IN THE STATE IN WHICH THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF TEA CHERS, AS 5
IDENTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT . 6
(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADMI NISTER THE PROGRAM. 7
(C) (1) TO SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , TO BE 8
ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM, A TEACHER CANDIDATE APPLICANT SHALL : 9
(1) (I) BE EMPLOYED AS A NONC ERTIFIED EDUCATION S UPPORT 10
PROFESSIONAL OR PROVISIONAL TEACH ER BY A PARTICIPATING L OCAL SCHOOL 11
SYSTEM ON THE EFFECT IVE DATE OF THE PROGRAM; AND 12
(2) (II) MEET THE EDUCATIONAL REQU IREMENTS DETERMINED BY 13
A COLLABORATIVE . 14
(2) NOT MORE THAN ONE QUA RTER OF THE FUNDS US ED TO SUPPORT 15
TEACHING CANDIDATE A PPLICANTS MAY BE USE D TO SUPPORT TEACHIN G 16
CANDIDATE APPLICANTS WHO ARE PROVISIONAL TEACHERS. 17
18–27A–03. 18
(A) A COLLABORATIVE SHALL NEGOTIATE AN AGREEME NT THAT MEETS 19
THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 20
(B) A COLLABORATIVE SHALL DEVELOP AND SUBMIT T O THE DEPARTMENT : 21
(1) A PLAN TO: 22
(I) SELECT AT LEAST ONE C ONTENT AREA IN THE L OCAL 23
SCHOOL SYSTEM IN WHICH THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF TEA CHERS, AS IDENTIFIED BY 24
THE DEPARTMENT ; 25
(II) SELECT AT LEAST ONE T EACHER PREPARATION P ROGRAM 26
AT AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION THA T SATISFIES THE TRAI NING 27
REQUIREMENTS FOR TEA CHER CANDIDATES ; AND 28
(III) DESIGNATE AN INDIVIDU AL FROM A COLLABORAT IVE TO 29
ASSIST TEACHER CANDI DATES AND PROVIDE PROGRAM GUIDANCE ; 30 4 SENATE BILL 937
(2) AN ESTIMATE OF THE NU MBERS OF: 1
(I) TEACHER APPLICANTS LI KELY TO COMPLETE THE 2
PROGRAM WHO ARE NONCERTIFICA TED EDUCATION SUPPOR T PROFESSIONALS ; 3
AND 4
(II) TEACHER APPLICANTS LI KELY TO COMPLETE THE 5
PROGRAM WHO ARE PROVI SIONAL TEACHERS ; AND 6
(III) MENTOR TEACHERS NECES SARY TO SUPPORT TEAC HER 7
CANDIDATES IN THE PROGRAM; AND 8
(3) EVIDENCE OF A WRITTEN BILLING AGREEMENT WI TH AN 9
INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION THA T INCLUDES: 10
(I) THE TOTAL COST TO THE COLLABORATIVE FOR TH E 11
COHORT OF TEACHER CA NDIDATES; 12
(II) PRORATED TUITION COST THE COLLABORATIVE SH ALL PAY 13
THE INSTITUTION OF H IGHER EDUCATION IF A CANDIDATE DOES NOT C OMPLETE 14
THE PROGRAM; AND 15
(III) A PROVISION THAT NO TE ACHER CANDIDATE SHAL L BE 16
REQUIRED TO PAY TUIT ION, BOOKS, OR FEES AS PART OF T HE TEACHER 17
CANDIDATE’S COURSE OF STUDY . 18
(C) A COLLABORATIVE SHALL DEVELOP AND SUBMIT T O THE DEPARTMENT : 19
(1) AN OUTREACH PLAN TO R ECRUIT TEACHER CANDIDATES A ND 20
MENTOR TEACHERS THAT : 21
(I) PRIORITIZES RACIAL AND LINGUISTI C DIVERSITY OF THE 22
NONCERTIFIED EDUCATI ON SUPPORT PROFESSIO NAL WORKFORCE CANDIDATES 23
AND MENTOR TEACHERS WITH LINGUISTIC DIVE RSITY AND FROM RACIA L AND 24
ETHNIC GROUPS HISTOR ICALLY UNDERREPRESENT ED IN THE TEACHING 25
PROFESSION; 26
(II) ESTIMATES PROGRAM EXPENSES BY C ATEGORY, KEEPING 27
PROGRAM EXPENSES REL ATED TO PROVISIONAL TEACHERS AT OR BELOW ONE 28
QUARTER OF TOTAL EXP ENSES; AND 29
SENATE BILL 937 5
(III) IDENTIFIES AT LEAST O NE SOURCE OF LONG–TERM 1
FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE PROCES S AND TIMELINE FOR 2
OBTAINING LONG –TERM FUNDING ; AND 3
(2) ANY OTHER MATERIALS R EQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT . 4
18–27A–04. 5
(A) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL AWAR D A GRANT TO A LOCAL SCHOOL 6
SYSTEM THAT IS PART OF A COLLABORATIVE F OR EMPLOYEES OF THE LOCAL 7
SCHOOL SYSTEM TO COM PLETE A TEACHER PREP ARATION PROGRAM AT A N 8
INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION UNDER TH E AGREEMENT DESCRIBE D IN § 9
18–27A–03 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 10
(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL AWAR D A GRANT FOR: 11
(I) TUITION, BOOKS, AND FEES FOR TEACHER CANDIDATES; 12
(II) STIPENDS FOR MENTOR T EACHERS; AND 13
(III) COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION O F THE 14
PROGRAM. 15
(3) IN AWARDING A GRANT , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL TAKE 16
NECESSARY STEPS TO E NSURE THAT NOT MORE THAN ONE QUARTER OF EXPENSES 17
AWARDED IN THE GRANT GO TO SUPPORTING PRO VISIONAL TEACHER 18
PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM. 19
(4) THE DEPARTMENT , IN COLLABORATION WIT H THE MARYLAND 20
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, SHALL, ON REQUEST, PROVIDE TECHNICAL AS SISTANCE 21
TO A COLLABO RATIVE IN OBTAINING STATE, FEDERAL, OR OTHER FUNDING FOR 22
THE OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM. 23
(B) A TEACHER CANDIDATE SH ALL BE PAID A RATE O F PAY AND OFFERED 24
BENEFITS THAT ARE AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE R ATE OF PAY RECEIVED BY AND 25
BENEFITS OFFERED TO A NONCERTIFIED EDUCATION SUPPORT PR OFESSIONAL OR 26
PROVISIONAL TEACHER OF THE EQUIVALENT CL ASSIFICATION AND TEN URE IN THE 27
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM PROVIDED IN THE COLL ECTIVE BARGAINING AG REEMENT. 28
(C) (1) A COLLABORATIVE SHALL PROVIDE EACH TEACHER CANDIDATE A 29
MENTOR TEACHER F OR THE ENTIRETY OF T HE PROGRAM. 30
6 SENATE BILL 937
(2) A TEACHER CANDIDATE MA Y NOT SERVE AS A TEA CHER OF 1
RECORD OR A SUBSTITU TE TEACHER FOR ANY T EACHER OTHER THAN TH E MENTOR 2
TEACHER ASSIGNED TO THE TEACHER CANDIDAT E. 3
(D) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM AND A UNION AN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION 4
THAT REPRESENTS THE TEACHER CANDIDATES S HALL NEGOTIATE A GRA DUAL 5
RELEASE MODEL THAT A LLOWS TEACHER CANDID ATES TO FOCUS PRIMAR ILY ON 6
INTERNSHIP AND PRACT ICUM REQUIREMENTS . 7
(E) (1) A TEACHER CANDIDATE SH ALL PERFORM A SERVIC E OBLIGATION 8
TO TEACH FULL –TIME IN THE STATE IN A PUBLIC SCH OOL OR A PUBLIC 9
PREKINDERGARTEN PROG RAM IN A HIGH–NEEDS SCHOOL , AS IDENTIFIED BY THE 10
DEPARTMENT , OR IN A GRADE LEVEL OR CONTENT AREA IN W HICH THERE IS A 11
SHORTAGE OF QUALIFIED EDUCATORS , AS IDENTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR A 12
MINIMUM OF 2 YEARS. 13
(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DETE RMINE THE LENGTH OF THE 14
SERVICE OBLIGATION . 15
18–27A–05. 16
BEGINNING IN FISCAL Y EAR 2026, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE 17
ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL AN APPROPRIA TION OF $5,000,000 THE GOVERNOR MAY 18
INCLUDE IN THE ANNUA L BUDGET BILL AN APP ROPRIATION FOR THE PROGRAM. 19
18–27A–06. 20
(A) EACH YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COLL ECT AND PUBLISH ON I TS 21
WEBSITE: 22
(1) DATA ON TEACHER CANDI DATE RACE, GENDER, AND LINGUISTIC 23
STATUS; 24
(2) DATA ON TEACHER CANDI DATE STATUS AND RETE NTION; 25
(3) SPENDING BY CATEGORY ; 26
(4) A SUMMARY OF TEACHER C ANDIDATE RECRUITMENT METHODS; 27
AND 28
(5) IF APPLICABLE, THE HIRING STATUS AN D RETENTION DATA OF 29
PROGRAM GRADUATES . 30
SENATE BILL 937 7
(B) IN REPORTING THE DATA UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION , 1
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE REASONABLE EFFORTS T O ANONYMIZE THE DATA 2
TO PROTECT THE PRIVA CY OF TEACHER CANDID ATES. 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 4
1, 2024. 5
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.