Bill Text: MI SB0771 | 2017-2018 | 99th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Higher education; financial aid; postgraduate scholarship program for certain teachers in at-risk schools; create. Creates new act.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-25 - Referred To Committee On Education [SB0771 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2017-SB0771-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL No. 771
January 25, 2018, Introduced by Senators ANANICH, GREGORY, BIEDA, HOOD, YOUNG, HOPGOOD, CONYERS, HERTEL, KNEZEK, WARREN and JOHNSON and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to establish a postgraduate educational scholarship
program for certain teachers in at-risk schools who commit to
continue teaching at those schools or within the school districts
in which those schools are located; to prescribe conditions for
repayment of the scholarships in certain circumstances; to provide
for the administration of the scholarship program; and to prescribe
certain powers and duties of certain state officers, agencies, and
departments.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the
"teacher recruitment and retention scholarship act".
Sec. 2. As used in this act:
(a) "Department" means the department of education created
under sections 300 to 305 of the executive organization act of
1965, 1965 PA 380, MCL 16.400 to 16.405.
(b) "Eligible costs" means tuition and fees charged by an
eligible institution for an eligible program; related costs for
room, board, books, supplies, and transportation; and other related
costs determined by the department.
(c) "Eligible employment" means 1 of the following, as
applicable:
(i) At the time of application for a scholarship under this
act, employment as a full-time teacher in a public elementary or
secondary school in this state at which at least 50% of the pupils
enrolled meet the income eligibility criteria for the federal free
or reduced-price lunch program, as determined under the national
school lunch act, 42 USC 1751 to 1769j.
(ii) Throughout the period of the scholarship agreement under
section 4, continuous full-time employment as a teacher at the
school described in subparagraph (i) or at a public elementary or
secondary school located in the same school district as that
school.
(d) "Eligible institution" means a public or independent
nonprofit college or university that offers postgraduate degrees in
this state.
(e) "Eligible program" means a master's or higher degree
program operated in this state by an eligible institution and
approved by the state board of education as appropriate for
teaching in an elementary or secondary school.
(f) "Eligible student" means an individual who qualifies for a
scholarship under section 4.
(g) "Fund" means the teacher recruitment and retention
scholarship fund created under section 6.
Sec. 3. The teacher recruitment and retention scholarship
program is created, to be administered by the department. The
department shall do all of the following:
(a) Subject to section 4, award scholarships to eligible
students under this act pursuant to application procedures
established by the department.
(b) Develop the scholarship agreement described in section 4.
(c) Conduct periodic audits of scholarship recipients to
enforce the requirements of the scholarship agreement described in
section 4 and all other requirements set forth in this act or
promulgated by rule under subdivision (e).
(d) Collect repayment of scholarships if required under
section 4.
(e) Promulgate rules to implement this act pursuant to the
administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to
24.328.
Sec. 4. The department shall award a scholarship under this
act to an individual only if the department determines that the
individual meets all of the following eligibility criteria:
(a) Has eligible employment.
(b) Is enrolled in or has been accepted into an eligible
program.
(c) If he or she has been attending the eligible program, is
maintaining satisfactory progress in that program according to the
standards of the eligible institution.
(d) If he or she has received scholarship money under this
act, has not received that scholarship money for more than 4
academic years.
(e) Has entered into a written scholarship agreement with the
department in which he or she commits to serve in eligible
employment for at least 4 academic years immediately succeeding his
or her award of a scholarship under this act and further agrees to
all of the following:
(i) Upon the department's request, to provide the department
with evidence of compliance with the scholarship agreement,
including the 4-year eligible employment commitment, and any other
requirements of this act and any rules promulgated by the
department pursuant to this act.
(ii) If the individual fails or refuses to comply with the 4-
year eligible employment commitment, to repay all or part of any
scholarship money received under this act plus interest and, if
applicable, reasonable collection fees, in compliance with rules
promulgated by the department, including rules that provide for
proportionate repayment if a scholarship recipient serves in
eligible employment for some period less than 4 years and rules
under which a repayment obligation may be reduced or forgiven due
to death, disability, layoff, or other good cause.
Sec. 5. Subject to appropriation, an eligible student awarded
a scholarship under section 4 may receive not more than $1,000.00
per semester to be used for eligible costs incurred in connection
with attending an eligible program.
Sec. 6. (1) The teacher recruitment and retention scholarship
fund is created within the state treasury.
(2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from
any source for deposit into the fund, including, but not limited
to, amounts repaid to the department on scholarships awarded under
this act. The state treasurer shall direct the investment of the
fund. The state treasurer shall credit to the fund interest and
earnings from fund investments.
(3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall
remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.
(4) The department of treasury shall be the administrator of
the fund for auditing purposes.
(5) The department of treasury shall expend money from the
fund, upon appropriation, only to provide money to the department
for scholarships awarded under this act.
