House Bill hb0517

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 517

        By Representative Henriquez






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to student financial aid;

  3         creating s. 240.40645, F.S.; establishing the

  4         Instructional Paraprofessional Scholarship

  5         Program to provide tuition reimbursements for

  6         eligible program participants; providing

  7         limitations on the amount, number of semester

  8         hours or equivalent quarter hours, and award of

  9         such reimbursements; providing eligibility

10         requirements; limiting implementation to the

11         amount funded in the General Appropriations

12         Act; requiring funds appropriated to be

13         deposited in the State Student Financial

14         Assistance Trust Fund; providing an effective

15         date.

16

17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

18

19         Section 1.  Section 240.40645, Florida Statutes, is

20  created to read:

21         240.40645  Instructional Paraprofessional Scholarship

22  Program.--

23         (1)  There is hereby created the Instructional

24  Paraprofessional Scholarship Program for the purpose of

25  encouraging instructional paraprofessionals to become

26  certified to teach in subject areas of critical state or local

27  need.

28         (2)  To the extent that funding is available, eligible

29  program participants shall receive a tuition reimbursement for

30  up to 9 semester hours, or the equivalent in quarter hours,

31  per semester, at a rate established annually in the General

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 517

    716-123-01






  1  Appropriations Act. If funds appropriated are not adequate to

  2  provide the maximum allowable reimbursement to each eligible

  3  applicant, awards shall be reduced by a prorated amount. All

  4  tuition reimbursements shall be contingent on passing an

  5  approved course with a minimum grade of 3.0 or its equivalent.

  6         (3)  To be eligible to receive tuition reimbursement

  7  pursuant to this act, an instructional paraprofessional, as

  8  defined by s. 228.041(9)(e), must:

  9         (a)  Have been employed by a district school board or a

10  charter school established pursuant to s. 228.056 as an

11  instructional paraprofessional for at least 1 year;

12         (b)  Be enrolled in a program of study leading to

13  certification in an area of critical teacher shortage, as

14  identified pursuant to s. 231.62.

15         (4)  This section shall be implemented only to the

16  extent specifically funded by the Legislature in the General

17  Appropriations Act. Such funds shall be deposited in the State

18  Student Financial Assistance Trust Fund.

19         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2001.

20

21            *****************************************

22                          HOUSE SUMMARY

23
      Establishes the Instructional Paraprofessional
24    Scholarship Program to provide tuition reimbursements for
      eligible program participants. Provides limitations on
25    the amount, number of semester hours or equivalent
      quarter hours, and award of such reimbursements. Provides
26    eligibility requirements. Limits implementation to the
      amount funded in the General Appropriations Act. Requires
27    funds appropriated to be deposited in the State Student
      Financial Assistance Trust Fund.
28

29

30

31

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.