Bill Text: MS SB2481 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Teacher shortage in Mississippi; establish Teacher Leadership Program and Teacher Credentialing and Retention Grant Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2019-02-05 - Died In Committee [SB2481 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2019-SB2481-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2019 Regular Session
To: Education; Appropriations
By: Senator(s) Tollison
Senate Bill 2481
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-9-211, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ESTABLISH A MISSISSIPPI TEACHER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO RETAIN EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM TEACHERS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-159-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI CLASSIFIED SCHOOL EMPLOYEE TEACHER CREDENTIALING AND RETENTION GRANT PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND PROVIDE THAT ANY TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI MAY APPLY FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE GRANT PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 37-9-211, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-9-211. (1) There is established the Mississippi Teacher Leadership Program within the State Department of Education. The purpose of the program shall be to support and retain effective classroom teachers through teacher leadership opportunities by making available stipends to teachers who desire to lead while remaining in the classroom.
( * * *2) The selection, nature and extent of
duties of * * * teacher leaders shall be determined by the school
district. The following guidelines shall apply:
(a) No teacher shall
be designated as a * * * teacher leader unless willing to perform in that role;
(b) No * * * teacher leader shall participate
in the evaluation of beginning teachers;
(c) Each * * * teacher leader shall complete
successfully a training workshop provided or approved by the Mississippi
Teacher Center prior to participating in the beginning teacher support program;
and
(d) If a * * * teacher leader receives
additional release time to support a beginning teacher, it is expected that the
total workload of other teachers regularly employed by the school district
should not increase in any substantial manner.
( * * *3) A district may: (a) compensate * * * teacher leaders from
any available funds for additional duties to support a beginning teacher which
are performed after regular school hours; (b) grant additional release time to * * * teacher leaders for
additional duties to support a beginning teacher which are performed after
regular school hours; and (c) employ and compensate substitute teachers from
any available funds for assuming the regular teaching duties of * * * teacher leaders who are
participating in the beginning teacher program.
SECTION 2. Section 37-159-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-159-9. (1) There is established the University Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant Program within the State Department of Education. The purposes of the program shall be to attract additional qualified teachers to those geographical areas of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers and to retain the qualified teachers already serving as licensed teachers in geographical critical teacher shortage areas by making available scholarships to persons working towards a Master of Education degree or an Educational Specialist degree at an institution of higher learning whose teacher education program is approved by the State Board of Education.
(2) Any institution of higher learning in the State of Mississippi which offers a Master of Education degree or an Educational Specialist degree may apply to the department for participation in the program. As part of the program, participating institutions shall collaborate with the Mississippi Teacher Center to identify, recruit and place teacher education graduates, from both within the state and out of state, in school districts situated within those areas of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers, as designated by the State Board of Education.
(3) There is established the Mississippi Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing and Retention Grant Program within the State Department of Education. The purposes of the program shall be to attract additional qualified teachers to those geographical areas of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers and to retain persons already serving as assistant teachers or paraprofessionals in geographical critical teacher shortage areas by making available scholarships toward earning a Bachelor's degree in Education at a Mississippi institution of higher learning whose teacher education program is approved by the State Board of Education.
(4) Any institution of higher learning in the State of Mississippi which offers a Bachelor of Education degree may apply to the department for participation in the program. As part of the program, participating institutions shall collaborate with the Mississippi Teacher Center to identify, recruit and place teacher education graduates, from both within the state, in school districts situated within those areas of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers, as designated by the State Board of Education.
( * * *5) The State Department of Education
shall provide funds to participating institutions of higher learning for the
purpose of awarding scholarships to qualified persons pursuing a Master of
Education degree or an Educational Specialist degree at such institutions while
rendering service to the state as a licensed teacher in a school district in a
geographical area of the state where there exists a critical shortage of
teachers, as approved by the State Board of Education. The financial
scholarship shall be applied to the total cost for tuition, books, materials
and fees at the institution in which the student is enrolled, not to exceed an
amount equal to the highest total cost of tuition, books, materials and fees
assessed by a state institution of higher learning during that school year.
Teachers who relocate within Mississippi from out of state in order to
participate in the program shall be classified as residents of the state for
tuition purposes.
( * * *6) Students awarded financial
scholarships under the University Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Grant Program may receive such awards for a maximum of four (4) school years;
however, the maximum number of awards which may be made shall not exceed the
length of time required to complete the number of academic hours necessary to
obtain a Master of Education degree or an Educational Specialist degree.
Financial scholarships under the program shall not be based upon an applicant's
eligibility for financial aid.
( * * *7) Persons relocating to a
geographical area of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers,
as approved by the State Board of Education, to participate in the University
Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant Program shall be eligible for
reimbursement for their moving expenses to the critical teacher shortage area
from the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall
promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the administration of the
relocation expense reimbursement component of the University Assisted Teacher
Recruitment and Retention Grant Program.
( * * *8) Subject to the availability of
funds, the State Board of Education may provide for professional development
and support services as may be necessary for the retention of teachers
participating in the program in those geographical areas of the state where
there exists a critical shortage of teachers.
( * * *9) Any person participating in the
program who fails to complete a program of study that will enable that person
to obtain a Master of Education degree or Educational Specialist degree shall
become liable immediately to the State Board of Education for the sum of all
awards made to that person under the program, plus interest accruing at the
current Stafford Loan rate at the time the person abrogates his participation
in the program.
( * * *10) As a condition for participation
in the program, a teacher shall agree to employment as a licensed teacher in a
school district located in a geographical area of the state where there exists
a critical shortage of teachers, as designated by the State Board of Education,
for a period of not less than three (3) years, which shall include those years
of service rendered while obtaining the Master of Education degree or
Educational Specialist degree. However, for any person who obtained a
baccalaureate degree in education with a financial scholarship under the
Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program and who entered the University
Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant Program before rendering
service as a teacher, the period of employment for the purposes of this
subsection shall be two (2) years, in addition to the employment commitment
required under the Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program. Service
rendered by a participant as a licensed teacher in a school district in a
geographical critical teacher shortage area before that teacher becomes a
participant in the program may not be considered to fulfill the employment
commitment required under this subsection. Any person failing to comply with
this employment commitment in any required school year shall immediately be in
breach of contract and become liable immediately to the State Department of
Education for the sum of all scholarships awarded and relocation expenses
granted to that person, less one-third (1/3) of the amount of that sum for each
year that service was rendered, or for those persons whose required period of
employment is two (2) years, less one-half (1/2) of the amount of that sum for
each year that service was rendered, plus interest accruing at the current
Stafford Loan rate at the time the breach occurs, except in the case of a
deferral for cause by the State Board of Education when there is no employment
position immediately available upon the teacher's obtaining of the Master of
Education degree or Educational Specialist degree. After the period of such
deferral, the person shall begin or resume the required teaching duties or
shall become liable to the board under this subsection. If a claim for
repayment under this subsection is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection
after default, then the obligor shall be liable for an additional amount equal
to a reasonable attorney's fee.
( * * *11) All funds received by the State
Department of Education from the repayment of scholarship awards and relocation
expenses by program participants shall be deposited in the Mississippi Critical
Teacher Shortage Fund.
( * * *12) The State Board of Education
shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the proper administration
of the University Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant Program.
This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2020.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2019.
