FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2913

                          C 53 L 96

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Changing the future teachers conditional scholarship program.

Sponsors:  Representative Fuhrman.

House Committee on Higher Education

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Background:  The future teachers' conditional scholarship program was created in 1987.  The program is designed to attract into the teaching profession individuals who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and who are likely to be good role models for students.  The program is administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB).

Through the program, a small number of students who wished to become teachers could receive up to $3,000 per year for up to five years to attend an accredited public or independent college or university in Washington.  Participants incurred an obligation to repay the scholarship, with interest, unless they taught in Washington's public schools for 10 years.

The annual budget of the program was $300,000.  The program was scheduled to expire June 30, 1995.  Although the program was allowed to continue, no funds were appropriated for scholarships for the 1995-97 biennium.

Summary:  Participants in the future teacher conditional scholarship program may repay their service obligations by teaching in approved education programs.  Approved education programs are education programs offered in Washington for knowledge and skills generally learned in preschool through 12th grade.  The programs include, but are not limited to the common schools, early childhood education and assistance programs, Head Start, education centers, approved private schools, tribal schools, English as a second language, and high school completion or equivalency programs offered by community and technical colleges.

Instead of being required to teach for 10 years in a public school, each participant in the program may meet his or her service obligation by teaching in an approved program for two years for each year of scholarship received.  The HECB may cancel the repayment obligation of a recipient if the recipient dies or becomes totally disabled.

Votes on Final Passage:

House     98 0

Senate    47 0

Effective:  July 1, 1996