House Bill 1366
By: Representatives Carter of the 93rd, Smith of the 41st, Park of the 107th, Evans of the 57th,
Glaize of the 67th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, so as to create the Georgia
Teacher Retention Scholarship to provide scholarships to children of public school teachers
who have been teaching for at least ten years to cover the cost of tuition at eligible
postsecondary institutions; to provide for eligibility; to provide for scholarship award
amounts; to provide for continued eligibility; to provide for applications; to provide for
definitions; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for an effective date and
applicability; to provide for a funding contingency; to provide for related matters; to provide
a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Teacher Retention Scholarship
Act."
SECTION 2.
Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, is amended by adding a new subpart to
read as follows:
<ins>"Subpart 7D
20-3-467.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Authority' means the Georgia Student Finance Authority.
(2) 'Certificate' or 'diploma' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section
20-3-519.
(3) 'Eligible postsecondary institution' means an institution of the University System of
Georgia and a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia.
(4) 'Eligible student' means a person who qualifies for a scholarship under this Code
section.
(5) 'First professional degree' means a degree earned through a first professional degree
program.
(6) 'First professional degree program' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code
Section 20-3-519.
(7) 'Georgia Teacher Retention Scholarship' or 'scholarship' means the scholarship
provided for in this Code section.
(8) 'Matriculated status' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section
20-3-519.
(9) 'Public school teacher' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section
20-2-880.
(10) 'Quarter hours' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 20-3-519.
</ins>
<ins>(11) 'Semester hours' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 20-3-519.
(12) 'Title IV' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 20-3-519.
(13) 'Tuition' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 20-3-519.
(b) The authority shall be authorized to award a Georgia Teacher Retention Scholarship
to each eligible student in an amount not to exceed such student's tuition. The payment of
scholarships to eligible students under this Code section and the amount of such
scholarships shall be contingent upon the appropriation of funds by the General Assembly
for the purposes of this Code section in annual appropriations Acts of the General
Assembly.
(c) To be eligible for a scholarship under this Code section, a person shall:
(1) Meet the requirements provided for in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Code
Section 20-3-519.1 and shall not meet any of the ineligibility criteria provided for in
subsection (b) of Code Section 20-3-519.1;
(2) Be the child, either natural or adopted, of a public school teacher who has taught in
a public school in this state for not less than ten years;
(3) Meet enrollment standards by being admitted, enrolled, and classified as an
undergraduate student in a matriculated status in a program of study leading to a
certificate or diploma or baccalaureate or first professional degree at an eligible
postsecondary institution and maintaining satisfactory academic progress in accordance
with the standards and practices used for federal Title IV programs by the institution at
which the student is enrolled;
(4) Not yet have earned a baccalaureate or first professional degree; and
(5) Not have attempted 190 or more quarter hours or 127 or more semester hours at any
postsecondary institution.
(d) Any eligible student may apply to the authority for a scholarship. Such application
shall be submitted in writing on forms prescribed by the authority for such purpose. The
applicant shall furnish such information as may be required by the authority for
</ins>
<ins>determination of eligibility for the scholarship. The authority shall approve scholarship
renewals only upon receipt of the recipient's application therefor and upon a finding that
the recipient has successfully completed the work of the preceding school period and
presents evidence that he or she remains otherwise qualified to receive such scholarship
under this Code section.
(e) The authority is authorized to prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary
or convenient for administration of this Code section and to establish procedures for
determination of eligibility of applicants."
</ins> SECTION 3.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026, and shall apply to all academic years
beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year.
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.