BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to conditional scholarships for classified employees; and adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that encouraging outstanding classified school employees to enter the teaching profession is of paramount importance to the state of Washington. By creating the classified employees as future teachers conditional scholarship program, the legislature intends to assist in the effort to recruit as future teachers persons who have shown great dedication and skill working in schools and who have distinguished themselves through outstanding achievements and service.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Conditional scholarship" means a loan that is forgiven in whole or in part if the recipient renders service as a teacher in an approved education program in this state.

(2) "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means a college or university in the state of Washington which is accredited by an accrediting association recognized as such by rule of the higher education coordinating board.

(3) "Board" means the higher education coordinating board.

(4) "Classified employee" means an employee of a school district or educational service district who does not hold a teaching certificate and has a declared intention to complete an approved preparation program leading to initial teacher certification or required for earning an additional endorsement.

(5) "Public school" means an elementary school, a middle school, a junior high school, or a high school within the public school system referred to in Article IX of the state Constitution.

(6) "Forgiven" or "to forgive" or "forgiveness" means to render service as a teacher in an approved education program in the state of Washington in lieu of monetary repayment.

(7) "Satisfied" means paid-in-full.

(8) "Participant" means an eligible classified employee who has received a conditional scholarship under this chapter.

(9) "Approved education program" means an education program in the state of Washington for knowledge and skills generally learned in preschool through twelfth grade. Approved education programs may include but are not limited to:

(a) K-12 schools under Title 28A RCW;

(b) Early childhood education and assistance programs under RCW 28A.215.100 through 28A.215.200 or the federal head start program;

(d) Education centers under chapter 28A.205 RCW;

(e) English as a second language programs and programs leading to high school graduation or the equivalency operated by community or technical colleges; and

(f) Tribal schools in Washington approved by the federal bureau of Indian affairs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The classified employees as future teachers conditional scholarship program is established. The program shall be administered by the board. In administering the program, the board shall have the following powers and duties:

(1) Select classified employees to receive conditional scholarships, with the assistance of a screening committee composed of teachers, administrators, classified employees, and leaders in government, business, and education;

(2) Adopt necessary rules and guidelines;

(3) Publicize the program;

(4) Collect and manage repayments from participants who do not meet their teaching obligations under this chapter; and

(5) Solicit and accept grants and donations from public and private sources for the program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The board shall establish a planning committee to develop criteria for the screening and selection of recipients of the conditional scholarships. These criteria shall emphasize factors demonstrating excellence including but not limited to leadership ability, community contributions, and an ability to act as a role model for all students. These criteria also may include, for approximately half of the recipients, requirements that those recipients meet the definition of "needy student" under RCW 28B.10.802.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The board may waive grade point requirements for an otherwise eligible individual under special circumstances.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The board may award conditional scholarships to eligible classified employees from the funds appropriated to the board for this purpose, or from any private donations, or any other funds given to the board for this program. The amount of the conditional scholarship awarded an individual shall not exceed three thousand dollars per academic year. Students are eligible to receive conditional scholarships for a maximum of five years.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. (1) Participants in the conditional scholarship program incur an obligation to repay the conditional scholarship, with interest, unless they teach for two years in an approved education program for each year of scholarship received, under rules adopted by the board.

(2) The interest rate shall be eight percent for the first four years of repayment and ten percent beginning with the fifth year of repayment.

(3) The period for repayment shall be ten years, with payments of principal and interest accruing quarterly commencing nine months from the date the participant completes or discontinues the course of study. Provisions for deferral of payment shall be determined by the board.

(4) The entire principal and interest of each payment shall be forgiven for each payment period in which the participant teaches in an approved education program until the entire repayment obligation is satisfied. Should the participant cease to teach in an approved education program in this state before the participant's repayment obligation is completed, payments on the unsatisfied portion of the principal and interest shall begin the next payment period and continue until the remainder of the participant's repayment obligation is satisfied.

(5) The board is responsible for collection of repayments made under this section and shall exercise due diligence in such collection, maintaining all necessary records to ensure that maximum repayments are made. Collection and servicing of repayments under this section shall be pursued using the full extent of the law, including wage garnishment if necessary. The board is responsible to forgive all or parts of such repayments under the criteria established in this section and shall maintain all necessary records of forgiven payments.

(6) Receipts from the payment of principal or interest or any other subsidies to which the board as administrator is entitled, which are paid by or on behalf of participants under this section, shall be deposited with the board and shall be used to cover the costs of granting the conditional scholarships, maintaining necessary records, and making collections under subsection (5) of this section. The board shall maintain accurate records of these costs, and all receipts beyond those necessary to pay such costs shall be used to grant conditional scholarships to eligible students.

(7) The board shall temporarily or, in special circumstances, permanently defer the requirements of this section for eligible students as defined in RCW 28B.10.017.

(8) The board may cancel a recipient's repayment obligation due to the recipient's total and permanent disability or death, subject to documentation as required by the board.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 1 through 7 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.