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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to the Critical Teacher Shortage Student

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Loan Forgiveness Program; amending s. 1009.59, F.S.;

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revising criteria for applying for loan forgiveness to

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require an applicant to have taught for a full school year

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in a subject area in which a critical teacher shortage

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exists; providing an effective date.

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

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     Section 1.  Section 1009.59, Florida Statutes, is amended to

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read:

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     1009.59  Critical Teacher Shortage Student Loan Forgiveness

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Program.--

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     (1)  The Critical Teacher Shortage Student Loan Forgiveness

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Program is established to encourage qualified persons personnel

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to seek employment in subject areas in which critical teacher

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shortages exist, as identified annually by the State Board of

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Education. The primary function of the program is to make

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repayments toward student loans received by students from federal

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programs or commercial lending institutions for the support of

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postsecondary education study. Repayments are intended to be made

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to qualified applicants who begin teaching for the first time in

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designated subject areas, and who apply during their first year

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of teaching as certified teachers in these subject areas.

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     (2) To qualify for loan repayments an applicant must:

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     (a) Be teaching in a designated critical teacher shortage

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area for the first time and have a valid temporary Florida

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educator's certificate or license that indicates certification or

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licensure in that subject area and for the academic year for

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which repayment is requested; and

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     (b) Have taught a full school year, as provided in s.

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1003.02(1)(g), in a critical teacher shortage area in a publicly

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funded school, a developmental research school, or a K-12 private

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school as defined in s. 1002.01 which is recognized by the

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Florida Association of Academic Nonpublic Schools.

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     (3)(2) From the funds available, the Department of

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Education may make loan principal repayments as follows:

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     (a)  Up to $2,500 a year for up to 4 years on behalf of

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selected graduates of state-approved undergraduate postsecondary

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teacher preparation programs, persons certified to teach pursuant

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to any applicable teacher certification requirements, or selected

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teacher preparation graduates from any state participating in the

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Interstate Agreement on the Qualification of Educational

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Personnel.

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     (b)  Up to $5,000 a year for up to 2 years on behalf of

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selected graduates of state-approved graduate postsecondary

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teacher preparation programs, persons with graduate degrees

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certified to teach pursuant to any applicable teacher

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certification requirements, or selected teacher preparation

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graduates from any state participating in the Interstate

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Agreement on the Qualification of Educational Personnel.

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     (c)  All repayments shall be contingent on continued proof

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of employment in the designated subject areas in this state and

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shall be made directly to the holder of the loan.  The state

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shall not bear responsibility for the collection of any interest

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charges or other remaining balance.  In the event that designated

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critical teacher shortage subject areas are changed by the State

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Board of Education, a teacher shall continue to be eligible for

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loan forgiveness as long as he or she continues to teach in the

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subject area for which the original loan repayment was made and

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otherwise meets all conditions of eligibility.

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     (4)(3) Students receiving a scholarship loan or a

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fellowship loan are not eligible to participate in the Critical

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Teacher Shortage Student Loan Forgiveness Program.

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     (5)(4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules

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pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 necessary to administer for

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the administration of this program.

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     (6)(5) This section shall be implemented only to the extent

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that the program is as specifically funded and authorized by law.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.