Budget Amendment ID: FY2023-S4-681
EDU 681
Student Debt Relief for Public School Educators
Mr. Gomez, Ms. DiZoglio, Messrs. Moore, Eldridge, Keenan and Cronin, Ms. Gobi, Mr. Brady, Ms. Rausch, Mr. Lesser, Ms. Lovely and Messrs. Pacheco, Feeney and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding the following section:- “SECTION XX. Chapter 15A of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 19D, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 19D. There shall be a scholarship program to be administered by the board, in consultation with the department of elementary and secondary education, which shall be known as the tomorrow’s educators program to encourage students to teach in public schools by providing qualified students with scholarships for tuition, fees and additional costs of attendance as calculated by the student’s institution of higher education, including, but not limited to, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, child care and personal expenses, for a bachelor’s degree program or post-baccalaureate coursework at a public institution of higher education in the commonwealth leading to the certification required for employment at a public school. The program shall be subject to appropriation. The board shall promulgate guidelines governing the tomorrow’s educators program which shall include the following:
(1) Eligibility for the program shall be limited to high school graduates, undergraduate students and students enrolled in post-baccalaureate educator preparation programs who: (i) agree to complete a bachelor’s degree or post-baccalaureate educator preparation program in a public institution of higher education in the commonwealth; (ii) successfully complete a bachelor’s degree or post-baccalaureate educator preparation program at the institution of higher education and obtain the appropriate certification in accordance with section 38G of chapter 71; and (iii) commit to teaching for 4 years in a school district, as defined in section 2 of chapter 70, in the commonwealth.
(2) An outreach plan to attract individuals from underrepresented populations to the education profession through the program, which shall diversify the educator workforce consistent with chapter 132 of the acts of 2019.
(3) Procedures for repayment of the amount of scholarship benefits for persons who participate in the program but who fail to complete the 4-year teaching commitment; provided, that said procedures shall be designed to ensure there are no disincentives for low-income students to participate in the program and shall consider: (i) the amount of scholarship benefits the participant has received; (ii) the participant’s current income if not working as a public school educator; (iii) whether the participant is currently working in another position that helps to support or educate students; and (iv) the amount of time the participant taught in a public school district in the commonwealth. ; and further moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting after item 7061-9634 the following item:- "7061-9805 For programs to encourage graduates of the commonwealth’s public institutions of higher education to work as public school educators; provided, that not less than $7,500,000 shall be expended to fund the tomorrow’s educators scholarship program established pursuant to section 19D of chapter 15A of the General Laws as amended by this act; provided further, that not less than $7,500,000 shall be expended for a student loan repayment assistance program for public school educators; provided further, that the student loan repayment assistance program shall be administered by the executive office of education and that funds for the program may be expended to enhance existing loan repayment assistance programs, if appropriate; provided further, that the student loan repayment assistance program shall provide assistance of not more than $7,500 per eligible individual; provided further, that said program shall prioritize the recruitment and retention of racially, culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse educators consistent with chapter 132 of the acts of 2019 to diversify the educator workforce; provided further, that to be eligible for loan repayment assistance under this item, an individual shall: (a) have completed a bachelor’s degree program at a public institution of higher education, as defined in section 5 of chapter 15A of the General Laws, and including Quincy College, after January 1, 2020; (b) have outstanding educational debt that was incurred to pay tuition, fees or additional costs of attendance as calculated by the institution of higher education, including, but not limited to, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, child care and personal expenses, while enrolled in an undergraduate degree or post-baccalaureate program at the institution; and (c) commit to and work for 4 years in a school district, as defined in section 2 of chapter 70 of the General Laws, as a teacher, instructional or program paraprofessional, or in any other position that requires a license or other form of certification issued by the department of elementary and secondary education or other state agency; provided further, that the executive office of education shall promulgate regulations for the administration and enforcement of the student loan repayment assistance program which shall include repayment procedures if a participating individual fails to comply with the program requirements; provided further, that if the funds appropriated for the program are insufficient to cover costs of all eligible individuals, priority shall be given to educators working in school districts with higher shares of students who are designated as low income, as defined in said section 2 of said chapter 70; provided further, that not less than 45 days prior to the obligation of funds for the loan repayment assistance program, the executive office of education shall submit a comprehensive program plan to the executive office for administration and finance, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on education; and provided further, that funds from this item may be expended on a public awareness campaign on the loan repayment assistance program ........................................$15,000,000”