HB310: HB310 Student Teacher Promotion Act; enact

26 LC 49 2630S House Bill 310 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE) By: Representatives Olaleye of the 59th, Hugley of the 141st, Ballard of the 147th, Barnes of the 86th, Hagan of the 156th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Part 9 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Of ficial Code of Georgia1 Annotated, relating to grants for educational programs, so as to establish grant programs to2 support recruitment of teachers by providing grants to qualifying student teachers enrolled3 in eligible educator preparation provider (EPP) programs and to such individuals who have4 completed their EPP programs and have begun teaching in a Georg ia public school; to5 provide for eligibility; to provide for maximum payments; to re quire the Georgia Student6 Finance Commission and the State Board of Education to establis h policies, rules, and7 regulations to implement the respective programs; to provide for definitions; to provide for8 a short title; to provide for a sunset; to provide for related matters; to provide for contingent9 effectiveness; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:11 SECTION 1.12 This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Student Teacher Promotion Act."13 H. B. 310 (SUB) - 1 - 26 LC 49 2630S SECTION 2.14 Part 9 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Co de of Georgia Annotated,15 relating to grants for educational programs, is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-252,16 which is reserved, as follows:17 "20-2-252.18 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:19 (1) 'Educator preparation provider' or 'EPP' means an institution of the University System20 of Georgia or an eligible pri vate postsecondary institution, as such term is defined in21 Code Section 20-3-519, located in this state that is approved b y the Professional22 Standards Commission to provide for the initial and continuing preparation of educators.23 (2) 'Signing bonus grant program' mean the program established by the State Board of24 Education to provide signing bonus grants to student teachers p ursuant to this Code25 section.26 (3) 'Student teacher' means a college or university student who is enrolled in an educator27 preparation provider program and who, as part of such program, is engaged in student28 teaching in a public school in this state.29 (4) 'Student teacher grant program' mean the program established by the Georgia Student30 Finance Commission to provide grants to student teachers pursuant to this Code section.31 (b)(1) The Georgia Student Finance Commission shall establish a program to provide32 grants to student teachers. The purpose of the student teacher grant program shall be to33 support recruitment of teachers by providing grant funds to qualifying student teachers34 during the student teaching component of their EPP program. Th e Georgia Student35 Finance Commission shall, in consultation with local school sys tems and other public36 schools, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and the Professional37 Standards Commission, establish such policies, rules, and regul ations for the student38 teacher grant program as are necessary to implement this Code section.39 H. B. 310 (SUB) - 2 - 26 LC 49 2630S (2) Beginning July 1, 2026, the Georgia Student Finance Commis sion shall provide40 grants to no more than 500 student teachers each school year. The total amount of such41 grant funds paid to each student teacher shall not exceed $5,000.00. Grant funds awarded42 by the Georgia Student Finance Commission shall be disbursed to student teachers in43 monthly installments by their respective EPPs utilizing a consi stent practice for the44 calculation and distribution of installment payments.45 (3)(A) To qualify for a grant under the student teacher grant program and to receive46 grant installment payments under such program, a student teacher shall be:47 (i) Eligible to participate in the federal Pell Grant program; and48 (ii) Actively engaged and in good standing in the student teaching component of his49 or her EPP program with the public school or local school system to which he or she50 is assigned.51 (B) No individual shall receive more than $5,000.00 under the student teacher grant52 program.53 (C) The Georgia Student Finance Commission and each EPP shall be authorized to54 verify whether an individual is actively engaged and in good st anding in the student55 teaching component of his or her EPP program with the public school or local school56 system to which he or she is assigned. No individual shall be eligible to receive grant57 fund installment payments for any installment period for which he or she is determined58 to not be actively engaged and in good standing in the student teaching component of59 his or her EPP program with the public school or local school system to which he or she60 is assigned.61 (4) The Georgia Professional Standards Commission shall establ ish reporting62 requirements for student teachers participating in the student teacher grant program to63 determine whether and how the teacher vacancy rate in this state has been impacted by64 the student teacher grant program.65 H. B. 310 (SUB) - 3 - 26 LC 49 2630S (c)(1) The State Board of Education shall establish a program to provide grants to former66 student teachers who begin working as teachers in public school s in this state. The67 purpose of the signing bonus grant program shall be to support recruitment of teachers68 by providing grant funds to qualifying former student teachers shortly after they begin69 teaching in a public school in this state. The State Board of Education shall, in70 consultation with local school systems and other public schools, the Board of Regents of71 the University System of Georgia, and the Professional Standards Commission, establish72 such policies, rules, and regulations for the signing bonus grant program as are necessary73 to implement this Code section.74 (2) Beginning January 1, 2027, the State Board of Education sh all provide for signing75 bonus grants in the amount of one-time fixed payments of $2,500.00 to individuals who76 participated in the student teacher grant program provided for in subsection (b) of this77 Code section, who successfully completed their EPP program, and who have completed78 30 calendar days of employment as a teacher under an employment contract with a public79 school in this state.80 (3) No individua l shall receive more than $2,500.00 under the signing bonus grant81 program.82 (4) The State Board of Education and each local school system or other public school83 shall be authorized to verify whether an individual participate d in the student teacher84 grant program provided for in subsection (b) of this Code secti on and successfully85 completed their EPP program.86 (5) The State Board of Education shall be authorized to establish reporting requirements87 on the public schools and local school systems participating in the signing bonus grant88 program.89 (6) The Department of Education shall develop and publish on its website an application90 process and seek applications from public schools and local sch ool systems for the91 signing bonus grant program no later than October 1, 2026.92 H. B. 310 (SUB) - 4 - 26 LC 49 2630S (d) No student teacher grants or signing bonus grants provided for in this Code section93 shall be funded, awarded, or disbursed after December 31, 2028.94 (e) The provisions of this Code section are subject to appropr iation by the General95 Assembly. Reserved."96 SECTION 3.97 This Act shall become effective only if funds are included for such purpose in an98 appropriations Act making specific reference to the grant programs provided for in this Act99 and shall become effective when funds so appropriated become available for expenditure.100 SECTION 4.101 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.102 H. B. 310 (SUB) - 5 -