AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- POSTSECONDARY TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR SHORTAGE TEACHING FIELDS

This bill establishes a new state fund to provide tuition and related expense assistance to individuals pursuing teacher certification in shortage fields, specifically science and mathematics for grades seven through twelve. To qualify, applicants must be enrolled in a Rhode Island postsecondary program to become teachers in these areas, and the financial aid is intended to cover costs such as tuition, room, board, and books after other aid has been applied. Recipients are required to complete at least three years of full-time teaching in a shortage field within the state, or the assistance they received will convert into a loan that must be repaid. The Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner will administer the program, update the list of shortage fields biennially, and report annually on the fund's usage while maintaining applicant privacy.