(a)This section is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee Future Teacher Scholarship Act of 2023." (b) As used in this section:
(1)"Approved EPP" means an educator preparation program approved by the state board of education at an eligible postsecondary institution;
(2)"Eligible candidate" means a student who is:
(A)Enrolled in an approved EPP in the student's junior or senior year as determined by the institution in which the student is enrolled; and (B) A citizen of the United States who has resided in this state for at least one (1) year prior to the student's admission to the eligible postsecondary institution at which the student is enrolled;
(3)"Eligible postsecondary institution":
(A)Has the same meaning as defined in § 49-4-902 ; or (B) Means a private nonprofit postseconda
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(a) This section is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee Future Teacher Scholarship Act of 2023." (b) As used in this section: (1) "Approved EPP" means an educator preparation program approved by the state board of education at an eligible postsecondary institution; (2) "Eligible candidate" means a student who is: (A) Enrolled in an approved EPP in the student's junior or senior year as determined by the institution in which the student is enrolled; and (B) A citizen of the United States who has resided in this state for at least one (1) year prior to the student's admission to the eligible postsecondary institution at which the student is enrolled; (3) "Eligible postsecondary institution": (A) Has the same meaning as defined in § 49-4-902 ; or (B) Means a private nonprofit postsecondary institution that: (i) Has established a partnership with this state pursuant to a memorandum of understanding executed in 2013; (ii) Is accredited by a regional accrediting association; (iii) Uses a competency-based model of education; (iv) Has established and continuously maintains a physical campus or location of operation within this state; (v) Maintains a governing body or advisory board based in this state with oversight of operations in this state; (vi) Has been chartered in this state as a nonprofit entity for at least five (5) consecutive years; and (vii) Provides an approved EPP; (4) "Gift aid" means financial aid received from the federal Pell grant, the Tennessee education lottery scholarship, or the Tennessee student assistance award; (5) "Targeted setting" means a: (A) Tennessee public school located in a distressed or at-risk county, as determined by the department of education; or (B) Subject area for which there is a critical shortage, as determined by the department of education; and (6) "TSAC" means the Tennessee student assistance corporation. (c) Subject to available funding, TSAC shall administer a five-year pilot program to award a Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship to future educators. The pilot program begins with the 2023-2024 academic year and terminates on July 1, 2028. (d) To be eligible for a Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship, an eligible candidate must: (1) (A) Be eligible for and receive a Tennessee HOPE scholarship under chapter 4, part 9 of this title; or (B) Maintain the concordant equivalent to the grade point average required for continuation of the Tennessee HOPE scholarship in § 49-4-911 , if the student is enrolled in an approved EPP at an eligible postsecondary institution, as defined in subdivision (b)(3)(B); (2) Be admitted to and enrolled in an approved EPP; (3) Complete the scholarship application, as required by TSAC; and (4) [Deleted by 2024 amendment.] (5) Sign a promissory note agreeing to teach in an LEA or public charter school in this state for at least four (4) consecutive years in a targeted setting. (e) If a student ceases to be eligible for the Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship at any time for any reason, then the student is not eligible to regain the scholarship. (f) If a student is awarded a Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship, then the student may continue to receive a Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship under this section until the occurrence of the first of the following events: (1) The student has attained a degree through an approved EPP; (2) The student ceases to be eligible for the Tennessee HOPE scholarship; or (3) Three (3) years have elapsed since the date of the student's enrollment in a term for which the student received the student's first Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship. (g) A student who receives a Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship may transfer from one (1) eligible postsecondary institution to another eligible postsecondary institution without loss of the scholarship so long as the student continues to meet all eligibility requirements for the scholarship. (h) Subject to the amounts appropriated by the general assembly, the amount of a Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship: (1) At a public institution is the cost of tuition and mandatory fees charged to all students for coursework leading to completion of an approved undergraduate EPP at the public institution attended less all other gift aid. The gift aid must be credited first to tuition and mandatory fees before the Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship is applied; (2) At a private institution must not exceed the average cost of tuition and mandatory fees charged to all students for coursework leading to completion of an approved undergraduate EPP at the state's public institutions less all other gift aid. The gift aid must be credited first to tuition and mandatory fees before the Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship is applied; and (3) At an eligible postsecondary institution, as defined in subdivision (b)(3)(B), is the average cost of tuition and mandatory fees charged to all students for coursework leading to completion of an approved undergraduate EPP at the state's public institutions less all other gift aid. The gift aid must be credited first to tuition and mandatory fees before the Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship is applied. (i) If a student receives a Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship and does not teach in a targeted setting for at least four (4) consecutive years, then the student must reimburse TSAC for each year the student did not teach in a targeted setting an amount equal to the total scholarship amount the student received pursuant to this section divided by four (4), without interest. (j) TSAC may promulgate rules to effectuate the purposes of this section, including establishing reimbursement requirements pursuant to subsection (i). The rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5. (k) The office of research and education accountability (OREA), in the office of the comptroller of treasury, shall review and study the pilot program created in this section and the Tennessee Future Teacher scholarships awarded through the pilot program to determine the effectiveness of the scholarships in increasing the number of licensed educators in this state. The study must be conducted in the third and fifth year of the pilot program and four (4) years after the program terminates on July 1, 2028. The OREA shall report its findings and conclusions of each study to the speakers of the senate and house of representatives and to the education committees of the senate and house of representatives by December 31 each year a study is conducted.