Bill > SB174

This bill establishes the Virginia Student Teacher Scholarship Program, administered by the Department of Education in coordination with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, to help reduce financial barriers for aspiring teachers and address teacher shortages. The program will provide scholarships of up to $7,500 to eligible student teachers who are completing unpaid, supervised clinical practice (which means at least 150 hours of direct teaching experience under a cooperating teacher) at a public elementary or secondary school in Virginia as part of an approved program of study. To qualify, applicants must be Virginia residents, enrolled full-time, have completed all program requirements to begin their supervised clinical practice, and agree to teach in a Virginia public school for at least three years after becoming licensed, unless extenuating circumstances apply. The Department will prioritize scholarships based on financial need if funds are insufficient for all eligible applicants and will establish a payment method to local school divisions, which will then disburse the funds to student teachers, who will not be considered school employees for benefits like the Virginia Retirement System. The Department will also recover scholarship payments from those who do not fulfill their teaching commitment, unless extenuating circumstances exist, and will submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly detailing program participants, their experiences, and demographic data.

Budget and Finance, Education, Health and Social Services

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB174