Bill > HB0504

This bill modifies the Tennessee Future Teacher Scholarship Act by updating eligibility requirements and scholarship terms. An eligible candidate is now defined as a student enrolled in an approved Educator Preparation Program (EPP) during their junior or senior year, or as a post-baccalaureate student seeking an initial educator license, who is a US citizen and has resided in Tennessee for at least one year. To receive the scholarship, candidates must be admitted to an approved EPP, complete a scholarship application, and sign a promissory note agreeing to teach in a local education agency (LEA) or public charter school for at least two consecutive years in a targeted setting. The scholarship, which provides $3,500 per academic year, can be received for up to three years or until the student obtains their degree. If a scholarship recipient fails to teach in a targeted setting for two consecutive years, they must reimburse the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) for half the total scholarship amount received. Candidates can lose scholarship eligibility if they no longer meet state board of education standards or their EPP's requirements, and once they lose eligibility, they cannot regain the scholarship. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0504&ga=114