2025 -- S 0030
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LC000215
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- POSTSECONDARY TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR
SHORTAGE TEACHING FIELDS
Introduced By: Senators Acosta, Gallo, Mack, Valverde, Zurier, and Murray
Date Introduced: January 23, 2025
Referred To: Senate Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by 1
adding thereto the following chapter: 2
CHAPTER 117 3
POSTSECONDARY TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR SHORTAGE TEACHING FIELDS 4
16-117-1. Creation. 5
There is hereby established within the office of the postsecondary commissioner (“OPC”) 6
a restricted receipt account entitled the Shortage Teaching Fields Tuition Assistance Fund (“the 7
fund”). The fund shall be used to provide payment from the state to an eligible individual’s 8
institution of higher education toward a portion of their tuition and other costs of attending said 9
institution under this chapter. 10
16-117-2. Definitions. 11
For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following 12
meanings: 13
(1) "Costs of attending" means expenses other than tuition, room, board, and mandatory 14
fees that are necessary to the successful completion of a degree program at a Rhode Island 15
postsecondary institution. Such expenses shall be paid for in accordance with rules and regulations 16
promulgated by OPC, and may include, but are not limited to, transportation, child care, and course-17
related books and materials. 18
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(2) "OPC" means the office of the postsecondary commissioner. 1
(3) "Service requirement" means specific employment and work obligations that 2
individuals shall meet if they receive tuition assistance under this chapter. 3
(4) "Shortage teaching fields" means subject areas or teacher certifications that are 4
experiencing a critical lack of educators in the State of Rhode Island. These shall include, but are 5
not limited to: 6
(i) Any sciences for grades seven (7) through twelve (12); and 7
(ii) Any mathematics for grades seven (7) through twelve (12). 8
(5) "Tuition assistance recipients" means individuals receiving assistance toward their 9
tuition and other costs of attending a postsecondary institution under this chapter. 10
16-117-3. Eligibility of individuals. 11
(a) In general, tuition assistance recipients under this chapter shall: 12
(1) Be enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, at a Rhode Island postsecondary institution in 13
a program to become a teacher in a shortage field; 14
(2) Complete the service requirement set forth in § 16-117-4; and 15
(3) Fulfill any other conditions required by OPC. 16
(b) Tuition assistance recipients under this chapter shall not be required to: 17
(1) Provide a score from the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or Advanced Placement 18
(AP) test as a condition of admission to the teaching degree program of any postsecondary 19
institution in Rhode Island; or 20
(2) Be a resident of Rhode Island. 21
(c) If an individual receives tuition assistance under this chapter, and then leaves their 22
institution’s program to become a teacher in a shortage field prior to completing their degree, the 23
tuition assistance provided to date shall become a loan to be repaid by the individual. 24
(d) If an individual receives tuition assistance under this chapter, and then does not 25
complete the service requirement provided in § 16-117-4, the tuition assistance provided to date 26
shall become a loan to be repaid by the individual. 27
(e) Transferring from one postsecondary institution in Rhode Island to a different 28
postsecondary institution in Rhode Island shall not negatively affect an individual’s eligibility for 29
tuition assistance under this chapter; provided that, they remain in compliance with all other 30
eligibility requirements. 31
16-117-4. Service requirements to receive tuition assistance. 32
To receive tuition assistance under this chapter, individuals shall complete at least three (3) 33
years of full-time teaching in a shortage teaching field at any elementary or secondary school in the 34
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state. 1
16-117-5. Disbursement. 2
All funds distributed in accordance with this chapter shall be: 3
(1) Allocated toward the tuition, room, board, mandatory fees, and additional costs of 4
attending a Rhode Island postsecondary institution to become a teacher in a shortage field; 5
(2) Provided to cover tuition, room, board, mandatory fees, and/or costs of attending a 6
Rhode Island postsecondary institution that remain after all other financial aid funds have been 7
awarded to the tuition assistance recipient; and 8
(3) Available for individuals to attend any Rhode Island postsecondary institution, public 9
or private; provided that, funds disbursed to a private institution for tuition, room, board, and 10
mandatory fees shall be limited to the amount that Rhode Island college charges for the same 11
expenses in the same academic year. Additional costs of attending a private institution shall be paid 12
for in accordance with regulations promulgated by OPC. 13
16-117-6. Administration of shortage teaching field tuition assistance fund. 14
OPC shall administer the fund and OPC shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary 15
to implement this chapter, which shall include, but are not limited to: 16
(1) The process for defining any shortage teaching fields in addition to the ones provided 17
in § 16-117-2, and updating said definition at least once every other year; 18
(2) Providing an easy-to-follow guide in a variety of languages regarding how to apply for 19
tuition assistance under this chapter; 20
(3) How to fulfill the service requirement, including the length of time afforded to 21
individuals to complete it and consideration for leaves of absence related to the health of the 22
individual or a close family member, pregnancy, and military service; and 23
(4) Defining the nature and extent of costs of attending a postsecondary institution, 24
identified in § 16-117-2, that individuals may receive assistance for under this chapter. 25
16-117-7. Reporting 26
(a) By August 1, 2026, and annually by August 1 thereafter, OPC shall provide an 27
evaluation of the fund to the speaker of the house, senate president, and the governor. The 28
evaluation shall include, but is not limited to, the following: 29
(1) The number of individuals whose request for tuition assistance under this chapter was 30
approved; 31
(2) The actual dollar amount paid for tuition assistance in the previous year; 32
(3) The shortage teaching area for which individuals received tuition assistance; and 33
(4) The name of the postsecondary institution(s) the individual attended. 34
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(b) Reporting required under this section shall take extreme care to maintain the privacy of 1
the individuals requesting and/or receiving tuition assistance under this chapter. 2
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 3
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- POSTSECONDARY TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR
SHORTAGE TEACHING FIELDS
***
This act would create postsecondary tuition assistance for shortage teaching fields which 1
are defined as subject areas or teacher certifications that are experiencing a critical lack of educators 2
in the state such as any sciences grades seven (7) through twelve (12) and any mathematics grades 3
seven (7) through twelve (12). Recipients of tuition assistance would have to be enrolled, or 4
accepted for enrollment at a Rhode Island postsecondary institution in a program to become a 5
teacher in a shortage field and complete at least three (3) years of full-time teaching in a shortage 6
teaching field in this state. 7
This act would take effect upon passage. 8
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