19-1840_P2

LRB-1840/P2

FFK:cdc

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

DOA:......Kretschmann, BB0295 - Minority teacher grant program

For 2019-2021 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction

An Act ...; relating to: the budget.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

education

Primary and secondary education

1. Grant program to recruit minority teachers

This bill creates a minority teacher grant program under which DPI awards grants to school districts for the purpose of recruiting minorities to teach in the school district. Under the bill, a minority is a Black American, an American Indian, a individual of any race whose ancestors originated in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central America, or South America or whose culture or origin is Spanish, or an individual admitted to the United States after December 31, 1975, who is either a former citizen of Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia or whose ancestor was or is a citizen of Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia. The bill requires DPI to award half of the moneys appropriated for these grants to a first class city school district (currently, only Milwaukee Public Schools). DPI must award the other half of the moneys appropriated for these grants to school districts other than MPS and give a preference school districts that have a high percentage of minority pupils. Under the bill, this grant program replaces the minority teacher loan program administered by HEAB. See EDUCATION - Higher education.

Higher education

2. Minority teacher loan program

This bill prohibits HEAB from making a loan under the minority teacher loan program after the date on which the bill becomes law. Under the bill, HEAB continues to administer the repayment and loan forgiveness of all minority teacher loans made on or before the date the bill becomes law.

Under current law, HEAB administers a minority teacher loan program for minority students who meet certain eligibility criteria, including enrollment in a program of study leading to a teacher's license in a teacher shortage field. A minority student is defined as a student who is a Black American, an American Indian, a individual of any race whose ancestors originated in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central America, or South America or whose culture or origin is Spanish, or an individual admitted to the United States after December 31, 1975, who is either a former citizen of Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia or whose ancestor was or is a citizen of Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia. Under the program, HEAB may award, to an eligible minority student, a loan of up to $10,000 annually for up to three years. HEAB must forgive 25 percent of the loan for each school year that the loan recipient 1) is employed in the city of Milwaukee as a full-time elementary or secondary school teacher in a high-demand, teacher shortage field; and 2) receives a teacher rating of proficient or distinguished.

The bill replaces the minority teacher loan program with a grant program under which DPI awards grants to school districts to recruit minority teachers. See EDUCATION - Primary and secondary education.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. 20.255 (2) (ej) of the statutes is created to read:

20.255 (2) (ej) Minority teacher grant program. The amounts in the schedule for grants to recruit minority teachers under s. 115.417.

****Note: This Section involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.

Section 2. 39.40 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

39.40 (5) The board may not make loans under sub. (2) after the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date]. The board shall administer the repayment and forgiveness of loans made under sub. (2) on or before the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date] and under s. 36.25 (16), 1993 stats. The board shall treat such loans made under s. 36.25 (16), 1993 stats., as if they had been made under sub. (2).

Section 3. 115.417 of the statutes is created to read:

115.417 Minority teacher grant program. (1) In this section, “minority” means an individual who is any of the following:

(a) A Black American.

(b) An American Indian.

(c) A Hispanic, as defined in s. 16.287 (1) (d).

(d) A person admitted to the United States after December 31, 1975, who is either a former citizen of Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia or whose ancestor was or is a citizen of Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia.

(2) Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ej), the department shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to school districts to recruit minorities to teach in the school district. The department shall do all of the following in awarding grants under this subsection:

(a) Award 50 percent of the amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (2) (ej) to a 1st class city school district.

(b) Award 50 percent to school districts that are not a 1st class city school district.

(c) Give preference in awarding funding under par. (b) to school districts that have a high percentage of pupils who are minorities, as defined by the department by rule.

(3) The department may promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

Section 9320. Initial applicability; Higher Educational Aids Board.

(1) Minority teacher loan program; sunset. The treatment of s. 39.40 (5) first applies to loan applications received by the higher educational aids board on the effective date of this subsection.

(End)