SF 759

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/11/2015 03:10pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; postsecondary; providing a teacher shortage loan
forgiveness program; authorizing rulemaking; appropriating money; proposing
coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 136A.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [136A.1791] TEACHER SHORTAGE LOAN FORGIVENESS
PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) The terms used in this section have the meanings
given them in this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Qualified educational loan" means a government, commercial, or foundation
loan for actual costs paid for tuition, reasonable education expenses, and reasonable living
expenses related to the education of a teacher.
new text end

new text begin (c) "School district" means an independent school district, special school district,
intermediate district, education district, special education cooperative, service cooperative,
a cooperative center for vocational education, or a charter school located in this state.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Teacher" means an individual holding a teaching license issued under chapter
122A, who is employed by a school district in a nonadministrative teaching position in
a teacher shortage area.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Teacher shortage area" means academic teaching disciplines or subject matter
designated by the commissioner of education as areas in which a shortage of teachers
exists in the state.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Program established; administration. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall establish
and administer a teacher shortage loan forgiveness program. A teacher is eligible for
the program if the teacher is teaching in a teacher shortage area and complies with
requirements of subdivision 4.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Annual designation of teacher shortage areas. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of
education shall annually designate the teaching disciplines and subject matter areas
experiencing teacher shortages. The commissioner of education shall periodically conduct
a survey of school districts and approved teacher preparation programs to determine
current teacher shortage areas.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Application for loan forgiveness. new text end

new text begin Each applicant for loan forgiveness
shall, in accordance with the rules of the commissioner, do the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) Complete and file an application for teacher shortage loan forgiveness. The
individual shall be responsible for the prompt submission of any information required by
the commissioner.
new text end

new text begin (2) File a new application and submit information as required by the commissioner
annually on the basis of which the applicant's eligibility for the renewed loan forgiveness
will be evaluated and determined.
new text end

new text begin (3) Complete and return on a form approved by the commissioner an affidavit
verifying that the applicant is teaching in a teacher shortage area.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Amount of loan forgiveness. new text end

new text begin Within the limits of available funding, the
annual amount of teacher shortage loan forgiveness for an approved applicant shall not
exceed $....... or the cumulative balance of the applicant's qualified educational loans,
including principal and interest, whichever amount is less. Applicants are responsible for
securing their own qualified educational loans. A teacher shall be eligible for the loan
forgiveness program for not more than five consecutive years following graduation from
an approved teacher preparation program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Penalties. new text end

new text begin An individual who submits an application or other information
to the commissioner under this section which contains false or misleading information
may have the individual's teaching license suspended or revoked pursuant to section
122A.20 and may be subject to discipline by the individual's employing school district.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Fund established. new text end

new text begin A teacher shortage loan forgiveness repayment fund
is created for deposit of money appropriated to or received by the commissioner for use
under the program. Money deposited in the fund shall not revert to any fund of the state at
the end of any fiscal year but shall remain in the loan forgiveness repayment fund and be
continuously available for loan forgiveness under the program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Annual reporting. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall, annually by February 1, report
to the chairs of the higher education committees of the legislature regarding the number of
individuals who received loan forgiveness pursuant to this section, which teacher shortage
areas the teachers taught in, the amount paid to each program participant, and other
information identified by the commissioner as indicators of outcomes from the program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 9. new text end

new text begin Rulemaking. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 14 to
administer this section.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2016 and $....... in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for the purposes of the
teacher shortage loan forgiveness program under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1791,
and for creating rules to administer the program.
new text end