Teacher shortage loan repayment program.

WORKING DRAFT

ORIGINAL HOUSE

BILL

NO.
0182

ENROLLED ACT NO. 97, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FIFTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2007 GENERAL SESSION

AN ACT relating to a loan program for students pursuing degrees to become foreign language teachers; amending the teacher shortage loan repayment program to include students pursuing degrees to become foreign language teachers; conforming program administration; providing an appropriation; providing a limit on the percentage of the appropriation to be expended for administrative purposes; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 21
‑
7
‑
601(a), (b)(i), (c), (e), (j)(intro), (k) and (n) is amended to read:

21
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7
‑
601.

Wyoming teacher shortage loan repayment program; eligibility criteria; procedures; program reporting.

(a)

The Wyoming teacher shortage loan repayment program is created to be administered by the Wyoming
higher education assistance authority
community college commission
established under W.S.
21
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16
‑
703
21
‑
18
‑
201
. Applicants shall have a Wyoming residence, as defined in W.S. 22
‑
1
‑
102(a)(xxx), or shall be graduates of a Wyoming high school and may apply for loans from the program in accordance with this section.

(b)

To qualify for a loan under this section, the applicant shall first:

(i)

Be enrolled in good standing in a teacher education program at the University of Wyoming leading to certification as a special education, math
,

or
science
or foreign
language teacher;

(c)

Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this program, loans under this section may be granted to qualified applicants to pay the unmet financial need, as determined by the Wyoming
higher education assistance authority
community college commission
, of attendance at the teacher education program specified under paragraph (b)(i) of this section.

(e)

A recipient of a loan under this section may repay the loan without cash payment by teaching at least fifty percent (50%) of his working hours as a teacher in special education, math
,

or
science
or foreign language
as a certified teacher in a Wyoming public school as provided in subsection (f) of this section. To qualify as repayment under this subsection, work shall be performed within the minimum amount of time necessary to repay the loan, plus two (2) years, which shall begin with the calendar month following the month in which the student completed the academic program.

(j)

The Wyoming
higher education assistance authority
community college commission
shall have the powers and duties specified under W.S.
21
‑
16
‑
705
21
‑
18
‑
202(c)
to implement this section and shall establish terms and conditions of loans issued under this section, including:

(k)

Funding of the loan program established under this section shall be by appropriation of the legislature. The
authority
community college commission
shall transfer approved loan amounts to the University of Wyoming.

(n)

The
authority
community college commission
shall annually review the loan program established under this section and report to the governor and the legislature in accordance with W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
1014, regarding program results, funds received and loans issued during the preceding academic year, together with the status of all outstanding loan commitments and repayments under the program. The report required under this subsection shall include information submitted by the professional teaching standards board regarding the impact of the program on identified teacher shortage areas and recommendations for modifications to the program, including funding levels, to address other identified teacher shortage areas.

Section 2
.

(a)

For the period ending June 30, 2008, there is appropriated seventy-five thousand six hundred dollars ($75,600.00) from the school foundation program account to the Wyoming community college commission for the purposes of this act.

(b)

Not more than five percent (5%) of the amount appropriated under this section shall be used by the Wyoming community college commission for the administration of this program, including expenses of the commission and loan administration fees.

Section 3
.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

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