FIRST REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 598
91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES SHELTON AND HILGEMANN (Co-sponsors).
Read 1st time January 31, 2001, and 1000 copies ordered printed.
TED WEDEL, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 168, RSMo, by adding thereto two new sections relating to incentives for special education teachers.
Section A. Chapter 168, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto two new sections, to be known as sections 168.620 and 168.623, to read as follows:
168.620. 1. Beginning July 1, 2002, the "Missouri Special Education Teachers' Loan Repayment Assistance Program", which is hereby created, shall make undergraduate and graduate loan repayment assistance available, subject to appropriation, to special education teachers pursuant to this section.
2. To be eligible for the loan repayment assistance program established pursuant to this section, a candidate shall:
(1) Be a full-time teacher whose duties consist primarily of teaching handicapped children or severely handicapped children or of providing special educational services, as all of those terms are defined in section 162.675, RSMo;
(2) Have declared an intent to teach, for at least the number of years for which any loan repayment assistance is received, in the capacity described in subdivision (1) of this subsection; and
(3) Have received and maintained his or her certification for any year in which any loan repayment is received.
3. The maximum number of years for loan repayment assistance pursuant to this section shall be four school years per person. The repayment assistance shall be in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars in loan principal plus applicable accrued interest for each full school year of eligible teaching service. For purposes of this subsection, "school year" means one full calendar year, beginning on the effective date listed on any teacher contract, or the first day of required work for a teacher in a school year if no such contract exists.
4. Any teacher receiving loan repayment assistance pursuant to this section who loses his or her certification, is terminated or who quits his or her approved teaching position pursuant to subsection 2 of this section shall, upon such loss, termination or quitting, immediately lose the pro-rata share of loan repayment assistance to which that person would have been entitled for the remainder of the school year; except that, a teacher receiving loan repayment assistance who has lost his or her certification and subsequently has his or her certification reinstated may have loan repayment assistance reinstated for any remainder of the school year during which that teacher was certified.
5. The state board of education shall work with local school districts to develop rules to implement this section. The board is authorized to adopt those rules that are reasonable and necessary to accomplish the limited duties specifically delegated pursuant to this section. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to this section shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo.
168.623. 1. Any teacher hired to be a full-time teacher for handicapped children or severely handicapped children, or whose primary duty is to provide special educational services, as all of those terms are defined in section 162.675, RSMo, shall upon his or her initial hiring by any school district in this state, subject to appropriation, be entitled to receive a bonus of three thousand dollars. Each teacher shall only be entitled to one such bonus in his or her lifetime. Such bonus shall be paid out of the budget of the department of elementary and secondary education, from funds earmarked for that purpose, to the school district in which such teacher is to work. The district shall then pay such bonus to such teacher upon receipt of such funds from the department.
2. Any teacher entitled to the bonus described in subsection 1 of this section shall, if such teacher's initial hiring is by a school district with a five percent or greater shortage of certified teachers designated to work in positions which would qualify for the bonus pursuant to subsection 1 of this section, receive an additional bonus of two thousand dollars, to be paid in the same manner as subsection 1 of this section.
3. The department of elementary and secondary education may develop criteria for determining the positions
which would qualify for the bonus pursuant to this section, as well as any other rules as are necessary for the
enforcement of this section. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to this section shall take effect unless
such rule has been promulgated pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo.
Missouri House of Representatives