CHAPTER 341
FORMERLY
SENATE BILL NO. 513
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14. DELAWARE CODE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE RECRUITING, TRAINING AND SUPPORTING OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE AVAILABILITY OF SUCH EDUCATORS FOR CRITICAL CURRICULAR AREAS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (Three-quarters of the members elected to each house concurring therein):
Section 1. Amend Delaware Code, Title 14. by deleting Chapter 11 in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof, a new Chapter 11 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 11 RECRUITING AND TRAINING OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS FOR CRITICAL CURRICULAR AREAS
§1101 Purpose
It is the purpose of this Chapter to provide for the establishment of a statewide program for the recruiting and training of certain professional educators who will serve the pupils In the public elementary and secondary schools of the State in critical curricular areas. The responsibilities for identifying those critical areas and for the administration of the programs are assigned to the State Board of Education.
§1102 Appropriation
The State Board of Education shall, in its annual budget request, recommend an amount to be appropriated for the purpose of establishing and maintaining programs to strengthen programs in those areas which the State Board of Education designates as critical curriculum areas.
§1103 Rules and Regulations of the State Board of Education
The State Board of Education shall, from time to time, adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as will be necessary for the implementation of the programs authorized by this chapter.
§1104 Academic Year Institute
The State Board of Education shall provide for the establishment of an ongoing program specifically designed to meet certification requirements for a teacher in the State of Delaware in a critical curricular area and may include but not be limited to reimbursement for tuition, programs, text boolcs or travel. The part-time program shall be offered during the regular school year. The State Board of Education shall provide rules and regulations for the conduct of the program.
§ 1105 Summer Inservice Program
The State Board of Education shall provide for a summer program for Delaware teachers, who are available to teach but who do not hold school certification in a critical curricular area. The State Board of Education shall establish rules and regulations for the conduct of this program.
§1106 Teacher Scholarship Loan Program
The State Board of Education shall establish a Teacher Scholarship Loan Program. This program shall be designed to help a teacher obtain certification in Delaware in a critical curriculum area by attending a institution of higher education on a fulltirne basis. The State Board of Education shall establish rules and regulations for the conduct of this program that shall include at least the following:
(1) Candidates selected must have taught in a Delaware public elementary or secondary school for at least one year prior to the year in which the scholarship is to be used.
(2) A teacher participating in this loan program shall execute a promissory note, in the amount of the loan, to the State Treasurer. This note shall be forgiven at a rate of one-third of the loan for each of three years of teaching in a Delaware Public School after completion of the study authorized. In any year that the teacher fails to meet the teaching obligation, the loan shall be due and payable for the unpaid balance.
(3) Such loan shall be interest free to persons who meet the teaching obligation.
(4) Necessary repayment procedures and interest requirements for persons who do not teach, or do not complete their teacher obligation as provided in s1106(2) of this chapter. shall be established by the State Board of Education.
(5) A teacher to whom a loan is granted shall also be paid during the year of study, one year's salary and benefits based upon the prescribed state salary schedule for 185 teaching days as found in Chapter 13 of the Title. A teacher to whom such a loan is granted may be granted a leave of absence by a school district upon agreement that he or the will return to that district for assignment upon completion of the year of study. In the case of such leave of absence, nothing herein contained shall prevent the school district from providing local salary supplement and other district benefits.
(6) The amount of the loan will be determined by the State Board of Education and may be applied to the cost of tuition, books and supplies of instruction at the institution in which the teacher is to be enrolled.
§1107 Program for Persons from Other Professions Who Will Prepare to Teach
The State Board of Education shall establish a program of training for persons who can present graduate or undergraduate degree at or above the level of bachelor and who are interested in teaching in a field that has been declared a critical curricular area, but who lack the certificate requirements for teaching in that field. Such a program shall include reimbursement for tuition for any necessary training to obtain certification as determined by the State Board of Education.
§1108 Student Loan Progranl
The State Board of Education shall establish a student loan program and shall make rules and regulations for the conduct of this program to include at least the following:
(1) The candidate for a loan must have been admitted to an accredited institution of higher learning in a program that will result in training and certification in Delaware as a teacher in a critical curricular area designated by the State Board of Education.
(2) The recipient of any such loan shall execute a promissory note in, the amount of the loan, to the State Treasurer.
(3) The loan will be forgiven on the basis of two years of teaching as a certified teacher in an actual critical curricular area in a Delaware public elementary or secondary school for each year of college training.
(4) Such loan shall be interest free to persons who meet the teaching obligation.
(5) Necessary replacement procedures and interest requirements for persons who do not teach, or fulfill the teaching obligation as provided in §1108(3) of this chapter. shall be established by the State Board of Education.
(6) The loan may be renewed from year to year through a four-year training program. based upon the criteria adopted by the State Board of Education.
(7) A student selected for such a program may attend any accredited college or university in the United States where the appropriate training will result in certification as a teacher in the State of Delaware.
Approved July 2, 1984.