By: Patrick, et al. S.B. No. 1720
(Clardy)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the Math and Science Scholars Loan Repayment Program
for teachers who agree to teach mathematics or science in certain
school districts in this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter II to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER II. MATH AND SCIENCE SCHOLARS LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM
Sec. 61.9831. LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The
board shall provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board
rules, assistance in the repayment of eligible student loans for
eligible persons who agree to teach mathematics or science for a
specified period in school districts that receive federal funding
under Title I, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.).
Sec. 61.9832. ELIGIBILITY; AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS.
(a) To be eligible to receive loan repayment assistance under this
subchapter, a person must:
(1) apply annually for the loan repayment assistance
in the manner prescribed by the board;
(2) have graduated from high school in this state;
(3) be a United States citizen;
(4) have completed an undergraduate or graduate
program in mathematics or science;
(5) have a cumulative grade point average of at least
3.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent;
(6) be certified under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, to
teach mathematics or science in a public school in this state or be
enrolled in an educator preparation program to obtain that
certification that is accredited by the State Board for Educator
Certification and is provided by an institution of higher education
or by a private or independent institution of higher education in
this state;
(7) have been employed for at least one year as a
teacher teaching mathematics or science at a public school located
in a school district that receives funding under Title I,
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section
6301 et seq.);
(8) not be in default on any other education loan;
(9) not receive any other state or federal loan
repayment assistance, including a Teacher Education Assistance for
College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant or teacher loan
forgiveness;
(10) enter into an agreement with the board under
Subsection (c); and
(11) comply with any other requirement adopted by the
board under this subchapter.
(b) An initial application for loan repayment assistance
under this subchapter must include a transcript of the applicant's
postsecondary coursework.
(c) To receive loan repayment assistance under this
subchapter, a person must enter into an agreement with the board
that includes the following provisions:
(1) the person will accept an offer of full-time
employment to teach mathematics or science, as applicable based on
the person's certification, in a public school located in a school
district that receives funding under Title I, Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.);
(2) the person will complete four consecutive years of
employment as a full-time classroom teacher in a school described
by Subdivision (1) whose primary duty is to teach mathematics or
science, as applicable, based on the person's certification;
(3) beginning with the school year immediately
following the last of the four consecutive school years described
by Subdivision (2), the person will complete four additional
consecutive school years teaching in any public school in this
state; and
(4) the person acknowledges the conditional nature of
the loan repayment assistance.
(d) To satisfy the teaching obligation prescribed by an
agreement under this section, a person must teach mathematics or
science courses for not less than an average of four hours each
school day.
Sec. 61.9833. AWARD. (a) Except as provided by Section
61.9834, the board shall determine the annual amount of loan
assistance payments provided under this subchapter in any year to
an eligible person, taking into consideration the amount of
available funding and other relevant considerations.
(b) The board shall reduce the amount of a single assistance
payment or refrain from making a loan assistance payment to an
eligible person as necessary to avoid making total payments under
this subchapter to the person in an amount greater than the total
amount of principal and interest due on the person's eligible
loans.
Sec. 61.9834. EXCEPTION TO CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF EMPLOYMENT
REQUIREMENT. The board shall excuse an otherwise eligible person
from a requirement imposed by Section 61.9832 that the employment
qualifying the person for loan repayment assistance be performed in
consecutive years if the break in employment is a result of the
person's:
(1) full-time enrollment in a course of study related
to the field of teaching that is approved by the State Board for
Educator Certification and provided by an institution of higher
education or by a private or independent institution of higher
education in this state;
(2) service on active duty as a member of the armed
forces of the United States, including as a member of a reserve or
National Guard unit called for active duty;
(3) temporary total disability for a period of not
more than 36 months as established by the affidavit of a qualified
physician;
(4) inability to secure employment as required by
Section 61.9832 for a period not to exceed 12 months, because of
care required by a disabled spouse or child;
(5) inability, despite reasonable efforts, to secure,
for a single period not to exceed 12 months, employment as required
by Section 61.9832; or
(6) satisfaction of the provisions of any other
exception adopted by the board for purposes of this section.
Sec. 61.9835. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The board may provide
repayment assistance under this subchapter for the repayment of any
student loan that:
(1) is for education at a public or private
institution of higher education; and
(2) is received by an eligible person through an
eligible lender.
(b) If the loan is not a state or federal guaranteed student
loan, the note or other writing governing the terms of the loan must
require the loan proceeds to be used for expenses incurred by a
person in attending a postsecondary educational institution.
(c) The board may not provide loan repayment assistance
under this subchapter for a student loan that is in default at the
time of the person's application for repayment assistance.
Sec. 61.9836. PAYMENT OF ASSISTANCE. (a) The board shall
pay any loan repayment assistance under this subchapter in a lump
sum delivered on the eligible person's behalf directly to the
holder of the loan.
(b) Loan repayment assistance provided under this
subchapter may be applied to any amount due on the loan.
(c) Each fiscal biennium, the board shall attempt to
allocate all money available to the board for the purpose of
providing loan repayment assistance under this subchapter.
Sec. 61.9837. MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHER INVESTMENT
FUND. (a) In this section, "fund" means the mathematics and
science teacher investment fund.
(b) The fund is a dedicated account in the general revenue
fund and consists of:
(1) gifts, grants, and other donations received for
the fund; and
(2) interest and other earnings from the investment of
the fund.
(c) The fund may be used only to provide repayment
assistance for the repayment of loans eligible under Section
61.9835, including related administrative costs.
(d) The fund is exempt from the application of Sections
403.095 and 404.071, Government Code.
(e) The board may accept grants, gifts, or donations from
any public or private entity for the purposes of this subchapter.
All money received under this subchapter shall be deposited in the
fund.
(f) The legislature may not appropriate general revenue to
the fund.
Sec. 61.9838. AMOUNT OF LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
(a) The total amount of loan repayment assistance paid by the
board under this subchapter may not exceed the total amount of money
available in the fund under Section 61.9837.
(b) Not more than 4,000 eligible persons may be provided
loan repayment assistance under this subchapter in any school year.
(b-1) This subsection expires January 1, 2020.
Notwithstanding Subsection (b), not more than the following number
of eligible persons may be provided loan repayment assistance under
this subchapter in the specified school year:
(1) in the 2016-2017 school year, not more than 1,000
eligible persons may be provided loan repayment assistance;
(2) in the 2017-2018 school year, not more than 2,000
eligible persons may be provided loan repayment assistance; and
(3) in the 2018-2019 school year, not more than 3,000
eligible persons may be provided loan repayment assistance.
(c) If in any year the amount of money available for loan
repayment assistance under this subchapter is insufficient to
provide loan repayment assistance to each eligible applicant or if
there are more eligible applicants than the number authorized by
this section, the board shall establish criteria to determine which
eligible applicants will be provided repayment assistance as the
board determines appropriate to further the purposes of this
subchapter.
(d) Only available money in the mathematics and science
teacher investment fund may be used for loan repayment assistance
under this subchapter.
Sec. 61.9839. REPAYMENT BASED ON CONTINUING EMPLOYMENT.
(a) An eligible person may continue to receive loan repayment
assistance if the person continues to teach in a public school
described by Section 61.9832(a)(7) after the first four years
required for eligibility under Section 61.9832(c)(2).
(b) If an eligible person transfers to a public school
located in a school district that does not receive funding under
Title I, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
Section 6301 et seq.), after the first four years required for
eligibility under Section 61.9832(c)(2), the person may not receive
more than 75 percent of the maximum annual amount of the loan
repayment assistance as determined by the board.
(c) A person who does not satisfy the applicable conditions
of this subchapter after establishing eligibility for an award of
loan repayment assistance under this subchapter is no longer
eligible to apply for such assistance.
Sec. 61.9840. RULES. The board shall adopt rules necessary
for the administration of this subchapter, including a rule
providing for:
(1) the manner in which a person may apply for loan
repayment assistance; and
(2) a method of awarding assistance under this
subchapter that:
(A) gives first priority to applicants who are
renewing their applications for loan repayment assistance provided
under this subchapter; and
(B) awards any remaining available assistance
according to a cumulative ranking system developed by the board
based on the number of mathematics and science courses completed by
the applicant and the grade received by the applicant for each of
those courses.
Sec. 61.9841. APPLICATION FORM. (a) The board shall by
rule adopt a common application form for use by new applicants and
renewal applicants.
(b) The form must include a section in which the school
district for which the applicant has taught for at least one year
verifies the applicant's year of employment.
SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
shall begin providing loan repayment assistance under Subchapter
II, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, for eligible
persons teaching in the 2016-2017 school year.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.