Bill Text: NY S04485 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides that undergraduate and/or graduate students who are matriculated in an approved graduate or undergraduate program at degree granting institutions located in the state of New York leading to a career as a primary or secondary teacher in a school providing special education, shall be eligible for an award.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION [S04485 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-S04485-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4485 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN SENATE March 13, 2019 ___________ Introduced by Sens. RANZENHOFER, FELDER, FUNKE, HELMING, ORTT -- 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 incentive programs for teaching those with disabilities 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 teaching those with disabilities incentive 4 program. 1. Eligibility. Notwithstanding subdivision five of section six 5 hundred sixty-one of this part, undergraduate and/or graduate students 6 who are matriculated in an approved undergraduate or graduate program at 7 degree granting institutions located within the state of New York lead- 8 ing to a career as a primary or secondary teacher in, or leading to a 9 license to provide therapeutic support of students in, a school provid- 10 ing special education as defined in this section, shall be eligible for 11 an award under this section, provided the applicant: 12 (a) signs a contract with the corporation agreeing to teach in the 13 classroom or provide therapeutic services on a full-time basis for five 14 years in a school providing special education as defined in this section 15 located within New York; and 16 (b) complies with the applicable provisions of this article and all 17 requirements promulgated by the corporation for the administration of 18 the program. 19 2. Amount. Within amounts appropriated therefor, awards shall be 20 granted to applicants that the corporation has certified are eligible to 21 receive such awards. Up to five hundred awards may be made to new recip- 22 ients annually. Such awards shall be made to recipients after the 23 successful completion of each academic year, as defined by the corpo- 24 ration. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD01796-01-9S. 4485 2 1 3. Duration. An award shall entitle the recipient to annual payments 2 for not more than four academic years of full-time undergraduate study 3 and one academic year of full-time graduate study leading to certif- 4 ication as a classroom teacher or a license to provide therapeutic care 5 in a school providing special education as defined in this section. 6 4. Conditions. Recipients shall receive an annual payment for the 7 successful completion of an academic year, equal to the annual tuition 8 charged to state resident students attending an undergraduate program 9 full-time at the state university of New York, or actual tuition 10 charged, whichever is less. 11 5. Recipient. The corporation shall convert to a student loan the full 12 amount of the award given pursuant to this section, plus interest, 13 according to a schedule to be determined by the corporation if: 14 (a) two years after the completion of the degree program and receipt 15 of initial certification it is found that a recipient is not teaching or 16 providing therapeutic services in a school providing special education 17 as defined in this section located within New York state on a full-time 18 basis; or 19 (b) a recipient has not taught or provided therapeutic services in a 20 school providing special education as defined in this section located 21 within New York state on a full-time basis for five of the seven years 22 after the completion of the degree program and receipt of initial 23 certification or license; or 24 (c) a recipient fails to complete his or her degree program or changes 25 majors to an undergraduate degree program other than in primary or 26 secondary education or other therapeutic service in a school providing 27 special education as defined in this section; or 28 (d) a recipient fails to receive or maintain their teaching certif- 29 icate or license to provide therapeutic treatment in New York state; or 30 (e) a recipient fails to respond to requests by the corporation for 31 the status of his or her academic or professional progress. The terms 32 and conditions of this subdivision shall be deferred for any inter- 33 ruption in undergraduate or graduate study or employment as established 34 by the rules and regulations of the corporation. Any obligation to 35 comply with such provisions as outlined in this section shall be 36 cancelled upon the death of the recipient. Notwithstanding any 37 provisions of this subdivision to the contrary, the corporation is 38 authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to provide for the waiver 39 or suspension of any financial obligation which would involve extreme 40 hardship. 41 6. Authorization. The corporation is authorized to promulgate rules 42 and regulations necessary for the implementation of the provisions of 43 this section, including the criteria for the provision of awards on a 44 competitive basis and the rate of interest charged for repayment of the 45 student loan. 46 7. Definitions. For the purposes of this section: 47 (a) "school providing special education" shall be defined as a school 48 created by chapter eight hundred fifty-three of the laws of nineteen 49 hundred seventy-six, a school created by a special act of the legisla- 50 ture for the purpose of providing education services to students who 51 reside in child care institutions, state supported schools established 52 by the legislature pursuant to section four thousand two hundred one of 53 this chapter or state operated schools established pursuant to article 54 eighty-seven of this chapter; andS. 4485 3 1 (b) "therapeutic support" shall be defined as counselling, clinical 2 support, nursing, behavior therapy, speech therapy, occupational thera- 3 py, physical therapy or social work. 4 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 5 have become a law.