Former Collegiate Athlete Scholarship Program; create to attract former athletes back to school for teaching degree.

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To: Universities and
Colleges; Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 235

AN ACT TO CREATE THE "FORMER COLLEGIATE ATHLETE SCHOLARSHIP 1
PROGRAM"; TO AUTHORIZE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FORMER COLLEGIATE ATHLETES 2
WHO DID NOT COMPLETE A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE TO PURSUE A DEGREE IN 3
EDUCATION OR ANOTHER DEGREE PROGRAM THAT ENABLES THE INDIVIDUAL TO 4
BE LICENSED AS A TEACHER THROUGH AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE; TO 5
AUTHORIZE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS FOR UP TO THREE YEARS; TO REQUIRE A 6
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT TO RENDER SERVICE AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER 7
IN EXCHANGE FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP; TO REQUIRE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 8
OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO BE THE ADMINISTERING 9
AGENCY OF THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 10
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 11
SECTION 1. (1) There is established the "Former Collegiate 12
Athlete Scholarship Program," the purpose of which is to attract 13
former collegiate athletes who did not complete a baccalaureate 14
degree to become licensed teachers by awarding full scholarships 15
to those persons declaring an intention to serve in the teaching 16
field who actually render service to the state while possessing an 17
appropriate teaching license. 18
(2) An individual who has completed at least two (2) 19
semesters of study as a student-athlete in an institution of 20
higher learning who subsequently is enrolled in or accepted for 21
enrollment at a teacher education program approved by the State 22
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Board of Education or other program at a baccalaureate 23
degree-granting institution of higher learning which will qualify 24
the person to pursue an alternate route teaching license in the 25
State of Mississippi is eligible for a financial scholarship to be 26
applied toward the costs of the individual's college education. 27
To be eligible, a student must express in writing an intention to 28
teach in a public school in the state upon graduation. The annual 29
amount of the award must be equal to the total cost for tuition, 30
room and meals, books, materials and fees at the college or 31
university in which the student is enrolled, not to exceed an 32
amount equal to the highest total cost of tuition, room and meals, 33
books, materials and fees assessed by a state institution of 34
higher learning during that school year. 35
(3) Awards granted under the Former Collegiate Athlete 36
Scholarship Program are available to both full-time and part-time 37
students. Students enrolling on a full-time basis may receive a 38
maximum of three (3) annual awards. The maximum number of awards 39
that may be made to students attending school on a part-time 40
basis, and the maximum time period for part-time students to 41
complete the number of academic hours necessary to obtain a 42
baccalaureate degree in education, shall be established by rules 43
and regulations jointly promulgated by the Board of Trustees of 44
State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board of 45
Education. Former Collegiate Athlete Scholarships may not be 46
based upon an applicant's eligibility for financial aid. 47
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(4) Except in those cases where employment positions may not 48
be available upon completion of licensure requirements, at the 49
beginning of the first school year in which a recipient of a 50
Former Collegiate Athlete Scholarship is eligible for employment 51
as a licensed teacher or a nontraditional teacher intern pursuant 52
to Section 37-3-2(6)(b), that person shall begin to render service 53
as a licensed teacher or nontraditional teacher intern in a public 54
school district, as approved by the State Board of Education. 55
Persons who received annual awards must render service as follows: 56
(a) A person who received three (3) or fewer annual 57
awards, but more than two (2) annual awards, must render five (5) 58
year's service as a licensed teacher in a public school in 59
Mississippi. 60
(b) A person who received two (2) or fewer annual 61
awards, but more than one (1) annual award, must render three (3) 62
year's service as a licensed teacher in a public school in 63
Mississippi. 64
(c) A person who received one (1) or fewer annual 65
awards must render one (1) year's service as a licensed teacher in 66
a public school in Mississippi. 67
(5) A person failing to complete a program of study that 68
will enable the person to become a licensed teacher or 69
nontraditional teacher intern under Section 37-3-2(6)(b), as the 70
case may be, is liable immediately to the Board of Trustees of 71
State Institutions of Higher Learning for the sum of all Former 72
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Collegiate Athlete Scholarship awards made to that person, plus 73
interest accruing at the current Stafford Loan rate at the time 74
the person abrogates participation in the program. A person 75
failing to complete his or her teaching obligation, as required 76
under subsection (4) of this section, is liable immediately to the 77
board for the sum of all scholarship awards made to that person 78
less the corresponding amount of any awards for which service has 79
been rendered, plus interest accruing at the current Stafford Loan 80
rate at the time the person discontinues service, except in the 81
case of a deferral of debt for cause by the State Board of 82
Education when there is no employment position immediately 83
available upon a teacher's completion of licensure requirements. 84
After the period of deferral, the person must begin or resume 85
teaching duties as required under subsection (4) or become liable 86
to the board under this subsection. If a claim for payment under 87
this subsection is placed in the hands of an attorney for 88
collection, the obligor is liable for an additional amount equal 89
to a reasonable attorney's fee. 90
(6) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher 91
Learning and the State Board of Education, acting jointly, shall 92
promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the proper 93
administration of the Former Collegiate Athlete Scholarship 94
Program. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher 95
Learning is the administering agency of the program. 96
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ST: Former Collegiate Athlete Scholarship
Program; create to attract former athletes back
to school for teaching degree.
(7) If insufficient funds are available to fully fund 97
scholarship awards to all eligible students, the Board of Trustees 98
of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall make the awards to 99
first-time students on a first-come, first-served basis; however, 100
priority consideration must be given to persons previously 101
receiving awards under the Former Collegiate Athlete Scholarship 102
Program. 103
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 104
and after July 1, 2026. 105