STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3954 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN SENATE February 21, 2019 ___________ Introduced by Sens. RANZENHOFER, FUNKE, HELMING, ORTT, YOUNG -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the New York state rural teaching incentive program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 669-i 2 to read as follows: 3 § 669-i. New York state rural teaching incentive program. 1. Eligi- 4 bility. Notwithstanding subdivision five of section six hundred sixty- 5 one of this part, undergraduate and/or graduate students who are matri- 6 culated in an approved undergraduate or graduate program at degree 7 granting institutions located within the state of New York leading to a 8 career as a primary or secondary teacher shall be eligible for an award 9 under this section, provided the applicant: (a) signs a contract with 10 the corporation agreeing to teach in the classroom on a full-time basis 11 for five years in a rural public primary or secondary school located 12 within New York; and (b) complies with the applicable provisions of this 13 article and all requirements promulgated by the corporation for the 14 administration of the program. 15 2. Within amounts appropriated therefor, awards shall be granted to 16 applicants that the corporation has certified are eligible to receive 17 such awards. Up to five hundred awards may be made to new recipients 18 annually. Such awards shall be made to recipients after the successful 19 completion of each academic year, as defined by the corporation. 20 3. An award shall entitle the recipient to annual payments for not 21 more than four academic years of full-time undergraduate study and one 22 academic year of full-time graduate study leading to certification as a 23 classroom teacher in a primary or secondary public school. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD01795-01-9S. 3954 2 1 4. Recipients shall receive an annual payment for the successful 2 completion of an academic year, equal to the annual tuition charged to 3 state resident students attending an undergraduate program full-time at 4 the state university of New York, or actual tuition charged, whichever 5 is less. 6 5. The corporation shall convert to a student loan the full amount of 7 the award given pursuant to this section, plus interest, according to a 8 schedule to be determined by the corporation if: (a) two years after the 9 completion of the degree program and receipt of initial certification it 10 is found that a recipient is not teaching in a rural public school 11 located within New York state providing primary or secondary education; 12 or (b) a recipient has not taught in a rural public primary or secondary 13 school located within New York state for five of the seven years after 14 the completion of the degree program and receipt of initial certif- 15 ication; or (c) a recipient fails to complete their degree program or 16 changes majors to an undergraduate degree program other than in primary 17 or secondary education; or (d) a recipient fails to receive or maintain 18 their teaching certificate or license in New York state; or (e) a recip- 19 ient fails to respond to requests by the corporation for the status of 20 his or her academic or professional progress. The terms and conditions 21 of this subdivision shall be deferred for any interruption in undergrad- 22 uate or graduate study or employment as established by the rules and 23 regulations of the corporation. Any obligation to comply with such 24 provisions as outlined in this section shall be cancelled upon the death 25 of the recipient. Notwithstanding any provisions of this subdivision to 26 the contrary, the corporation is authorized to promulgate rules and 27 regulations to provide for the waiver or suspension of any financial 28 obligation which would involve extreme hardship. 29 6. The corporation is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations 30 necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this section, 31 including the criteria for the provision of awards on a competitive 32 basis and the rate of interest charged for repayment of the student 33 loan. 34 7. For the purposes of this section, a rural public school shall be 35 defined as a public school located in a rural area as defined in subdi- 36 vision three of section twelve hundred three of this chapter. 37 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 38 have become a law.