Bill > S0030

This bill creates a new tuition assistance program for individuals pursuing teaching careers in shortage fields within Rhode Island, specifically focusing on science and mathematics teachers for grades 7-12. The program will establish a Shortage Teaching Fields Tuition Assistance Fund administered by the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner (OPC), which will provide financial support to cover tuition, room, board, mandatory fees, and additional educational costs for eligible students. To qualify, individuals must be enrolled in a Rhode Island postsecondary institution's teacher preparation program and commit to teaching full-time in a shortage teaching field for at least three years after graduation. If recipients do not complete their degree program or fail to fulfill the teaching service requirement, the tuition assistance will convert to a loan that must be repaid. The bill removes traditional barriers to entry by not requiring SAT/AP scores or Rhode Island residency, and allows students to transfer between Rhode Island institutions without losing eligibility. The OPC will be responsible for defining shortage teaching fields, creating application guidelines, and providing annual reports to state leadership about the program's implementation and impact, while maintaining participant privacy.

Budget and Finance

https://status.rilegislature.gov/