Introduced Version






HOUSE BILL No. 2110

_____


DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL



Citations Affected: IC 20-6.1-12 ; IC 20-12-22.5.

Synopsis: Teaching incentives. Provides that a teacher who receives an initial teaching license, who is employed to teach after June 30, 2001, by an Indiana school corporation, and who has been employed as a teacher for less than five years is eligible to receive a signing bonus of up to $20,000 over a four year period. Provides that a teacher who receives an initial teaching license and is employed to teach by an Indiana school corporation may enter into an agreement with the state student assistance commission to have the commission assume the repayment of 15% of the teacher's undergraduate student loans for each year the teacher teaches during the first five years after the teacher graduates.

Effective: July 1, 2001.





Klinker, Ayres, Bauer, Oxley




    January 17, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Ways and Means.







Introduced

First Regular Session 112th General Assembly (2001)


PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts between statutes enacted by the 2000 General Assembly.

HOUSE BILL No. 2110



    A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning education.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:

SOURCE: IC 20-6.1-12; (01)IN2110.1.1. -->     SECTION 1. IC 20-6.1-12 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2001]:
     Chapter 12. Teacher Signing Bonus Program
    Sec. 1. This chapter applies to an individual:
        (1) who has received an initial standard teaching license under IC 20-6.1-3 ;
        (2) who has been employed after June 30, 2001, by an Indiana school corporation to teach; and
        (3) who has been employed as a teacher for less than five (5) years.
    Sec. 2. Notwithstanding IC 20-6.1-1-1 , as used in this chapter, "board" refers to the professional standards board established by IC 20-1-1.4-2.
    Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "program" refers to the teacher signing bonus program established by section 5 of this chapter.
    Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "teacher" refers to an individual

described in section 1 of this chapter.
    Sec. 5. (a) The teacher signing bonus program is established to encourage new teachers to become educators in Indiana public schools.
    (b) The board shall administer the program.
    Sec. 6. (a) At the beginning of the fall semester of a school year, each school corporation shall provide the board with the names of teachers who qualify for the program.
    (b) At the end of the school year, the board shall determine whether each teacher included on a list under subsection (a) continues to be employed by a school corporation.
    (c) If the board determines that a teacher continues to be employed by a school corporation, the teacher is entitled to receive a bonus from the board in the following amount:
        (1) At the end of a teacher's first year of employment, eight thousand dollars ($8,000).
        (2) At the end of a teacher's second year of employment, four thousand dollars ($4,000).
        (3) At the end of a teacher's third year of employment, four thousand dollars ($4,000).
        (4) At the end of a teacher's fourth year of employment, four thousand dollars ($4,000).
    Sec. 7. The board may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to carry out this chapter.

SOURCE: IC 20-12-22.5; (01)IN2110.1.2. -->     SECTION 2. IC 20-12-22.5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2001]:
     Chapter 22.5. Loan Repayment for Teachers
    Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "commission" refers to the state student assistance commission established by IC 20-12-21-4.
    Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "eligible institution of higher learning" has the meaning set forth in IC 20-12-21.7-2.
    Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "school year" has the meaning set forth in IC 21-2-12-3 (h).
    Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "teacher" refers to an individual:
        (1) who has received an initial standard teaching license under IC 20-6.1; and
        (2) who has been employed by an Indiana school corporation to teach.
    Sec. 5. (a) The commission shall enter into a written agreement with a teacher that provides that for each school year:
        (1) during the five (5) school year period following the

teacher's graduation from an eligible institution of higher learning; and
        (2) during which the teacher is employed by an Indiana school corporation to teach;
the commission shall assume the repayment of fifteen percent (15%) of the initial balance of any student loans the teacher received to attend an eligible institution of higher learning as an undergraduate.
    (b) A teacher may annually enter into an agreement under this section for each of the first five (5) school years the teacher is employed by an Indiana school corporation to teach during the five (5) school year period following the teacher's graduation from an eligible institution of higher learning.
    Sec. 6. The commission may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to carry out this chapter. Rules adopted under this section may require a teacher to provide proof that the teacher is employed by an Indiana school corporation to teach.