AB127: Bill Text

2007 Assembly BILL 127

March 5, 2007 - Introduced by Representatives Davis, Pridemore, Hines, Kerkman, Kestell, Nygren, A. Ott, Sinicki, Suder, Townsend and Vos, cosponsored by Senators Olsen, Roessler and Schultz. Referred to Committee on Education.

AB127,1,4 An Act to amend 118.192 (2); and to create 20.235 (1) (cd) and 39.396 of the statutes; relating to: a loan program for residents of this state studying for a license or permit to teach mathematics or science, requiring the exercise of rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) administers various student loan programs under which certain percentages of the loans are forgiven for each year that a loan recipient is employed in certain professions after the completion of the recipient's program of study. Those programs include programs under which loans are forgiven after the recipient has been employed as a nurse in this state, as a teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools, as a teacher of visually impaired pupils or as an orientation and mobility instructor in this state, and as a teacher in a school district in this state in which minority students constitute at least 29 percent of the membership of the school district.

This bill creates a loan program, to be administered by HEAB, to defray the cost of: 1) tuition, fees, and expenses for residents of this state who are enrolled in a program of study in the University of Wisconsin System or in an accredited, private institution of higher education leading to a license to teach mathematics or science, who meet academic criteria specified by the board, and who agree to teach mathematics or science in a school district located in this state; and 2) tuition and fees for residents of this state who are enrolled in an alternative teacher training program leading to a permit to teach mathematics or science, who meet academic criteria specified by HEAB, and who agree to teach mathematics or science in a school district located in this state.

For purposes of this loan program, an alternative teacher training program is a program established by the state superintendent of public instruction under which an individual who holds a bachelor's degree in engineering, music, art, a foreign language, computer science, mathematics, or science, who has had at least five years of professional experience in one of those subject areas, and who demonstrates competency in his or her subject area may, on satisfactory completion of approximately 100 hours of formal training, be granted a professional teaching permit authorizing the person to teach in his or her subject area.

The maximum amount of a loan that a person may receive during any fiscal year is $10,000 and the maximum amount that a person may receive under the program is $50,000. Under the bill, HEAB must forgive 25 percent of the principal and interest on the loan for the first school year, 25 percent of the principal and interest on the loan for the 2nd school year, and 50 percent of the principal and interest on the loan for the 3rd school year that the recipient holds a license or permit to teach, is employed full-time by a school district located in this state, and devotes not less than 50 percent of that full-time employment to the teaching of mathematics or science.

For further information see the state 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:

AB127, s. 1 Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

AB127, s. 2 Section 2. 20.235 (1) (cd) of the statutes is created to read:

AB127,3,3 20.235 (1) (cd) Loan program for teachers of mathematics and science. The amounts in the schedule for the loan program for teachers of mathematics and science under s. 39.396.

AB127, s. 3 Section 3. 39.396 of the statutes is created to read:

AB127,3,7 39.396 Teachers of mathematics and science loan program. (1) In this section, "eligible institution of higher education" means the University of Wisconsin System or an accredited, private institution of higher education located in this state.

AB127,3,9 (2) The board shall establish a loan program to defray the cost of all of the following:

AB127,3,13 (a) Tuition, fees, and expenses for residents of this state who are enrolled in a program of study at an eligible institution of higher education leading to a license to teach mathematics or science, who meet academic criteria specified by the board, and who agree to teach mathematics or science in a school district located in this state.

AB127,3,17 (b) Tuition and fees for residents of this state who are enrolled in an alternative teacher training program under s. 118.192 leading to a permit to teach mathematics or science, who meet academic criteria specified by the board, and who agree to teach mathematics or science in a school district located in this state.

AB127,4,2 (3) Loans under sub. (2) shall be awarded to residents of this state who are registered at an eligible institution of higher education or who are enrolled in an alternative teacher training program under s. 118.192 on the basis of the participation in the loan program under this section of the institution of higher education or entity offering the training program and the number of students registered at the institution of higher education or enrolled in the training program offered by the entity who are eligible for a loan under the program. Loans awarded to recipients under sub. (2) shall be disbursed directly to the eligible institutions of higher education and entities offering the training program.

AB127,4,12 (4) The board shall make loans under sub. (2) from the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (cd). The maximum amount of a loan that a person may receive during any fiscal year is $10,000. The maximum amount that a person may receive under this section is $50,000. The board shall forgive 25 percent of the principal and interest on the loan for the first school year, 25 percent of the principal and interest on the loan for the 2nd school year, and 50 percent of the principal and interest on the loan for the 3rd school year that the recipient holds a license or permit to teach, is employed full time by a school district located in this state, and devotes not less than 50 percent of that full-time employment to the teaching of mathematics or science.

AB127,4,14 (5) The board shall deposit in the general fund as general purpose revenue — earned all repayments of loans made under sub. (2) and the interest on the loans.

AB127,4,15 (6) The board shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

AB127,4,17 (7) No loan may be awarded under this section after the 2017-18 academic year.

AB127, s. 4 Section 4. 118.192 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB127,5,2 118.192 (2) An individual who holds a bachelor's degree in engineering, music, art, foreign language, computer science, mathematics or science from an accredited institution of higher education, has at least 5 years of experience as a professional in the subject area in which his or her degree was awarded and demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the state superintendent, competency in that subject area that is current and compatible with modern curricula may apply to the state superintendent for enrollment in the alternative teacher training program. The state superintendent shall charge tuition or a fee sufficient to cover the costs of the program.

AB127, s. 5 Section 5. Effective date.

AB127,5,5 (1) This act takes effect on the day after publication, or on the 2nd day after publication of the 2007-09 biennial budget act, whichever is later.

AB127,5,6 (End)