(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office shall administer a student teaching grant program to provide additional funds to student teachers at Title I public common schools in Washington.
(2) To qualify for the grant, recipients must be enrolled in a Washington professional educator standards board-approved teacher preparation program, be completing or about to start student teaching at a Title I public common school, and demonstrate financial need, as defined by the office and consistent with the income criteria required to receive the Washington college grant created in chapter
28B.92 RCW or applicable rules.
(3)(a) Beginning December 1, 2020, and in compliance with RCW
43.01.036, the office must submit a biennial report to the appropriate committees of the legislature. The report must provide the following information:
(i) Aggregate data on the number of persons who applied for and received the grants awarded under this section, including teacher preparation program type, student teaching school district, and award amount;
(ii) To the maximum extent practicable, aggregate data on where grant recipients are teaching two years and five years after obtaining a teacher certificate, and whether grant recipients remain teaching in Title I public common schools; and
(iii) Recommendations for modifying the grant program.
(b) The education data center must collaborate with the office to provide the data needed for the report required under this section.
(4) The office shall establish rules for administering the grants under this section.