74th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2007 Regular Session
NOTE: Matter within { + braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within { - braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
{ + braces and plus signs + } .
LC 2540
A-Engrossed
Senate Bill 448
Ordered by the Senate April 18
Including Senate Amendments dated April 18
Sponsored by Senator DECKERT
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
{ - Directs State Board of Higher Education to review
long-term viability of state institutions of higher education and
to report detailed findings of review to Governor and Legislative
Assembly no later than February 1, 2009. - }
{ - Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2007. - }
{ + Directs Oregon Student Assistance Commission to establish
service award voucher program for students studying to become
licensed educators. Sets forth qualifications, selection factors,
award amounts and employment requirements for students
participating in program.
Establishes Multicultural Student to Educator Fund for purpose
of awarding service award vouchers.
Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Oregon Student
Assistance Commission for Multicultural Student to Educator
Fund. + }
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to higher education; and appropriating money.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. { + As used in sections 1 to 5 of this 2007 Act:
(1) 'Eligible post-secondary institution' means:
(a) A state institution under the direction of the State Board
of Higher Education listed in ORS 352.002;
(b) An Oregon-based, generally accredited, not-for-profit
institution of higher education; or
(c) A community college as defined in ORS 341.005. + }
{ + (2) 'Participant' means a student who receives a service
award voucher under section 2 of this 2007 Act. + }
{ + (3) 'Teacher' has the meaning given that term in ORS
342.120. + }
SECTION 2. { + (1) The Oregon Student Assistance Commission
shall establish the Multicultural Student to Educator Program, a
service award voucher program for students studying to become
licensed educators. To be eligible for participation in the
program, a student must:
(a) Be registered as a junior or a senior undergraduate student
or hold a bachelor's degree and be registered in a graduate or
post-baccalaureate program in an eligible post-secondary
institution;
(b) Be enrolled at least half-time in a licensure program
approved by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission;
(c) Have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average based on
a 4.0 scale at the time of receipt of the service award voucher;
and
(d) Agree to be employed in an Oregon school district for the
length of time necessary to complete the requirements for
receiving a service award voucher, as described in section 4 of
this 2007 Act.
(2) In selecting students described in subsection (1) of this
section to participate in the program, the commission shall give
consideration to the following factors:
(a) Whether the income of the parents of a student is at or
below 60 percent of the state median income, adjusted for family
size as determined by the commission by rule, for the year
preceding application for the service award voucher;
(b) Whether both parents of a student have not graduated from
an institution of higher education;
(c) Whether a student is the first generation of the student's
family to attend an institution of higher education;
(d) Whether a student speaks English as a second language;
(e) Whether a student has employment or child-rearing
responsibilities;
(f) Whether the schools a student attended from kindergarten
through grade 12 were in low income areas or were low performing
schools, as those terms are defined by the commission by rule;
and
(g) How a student may enhance the cultural diversity of Oregon
public schools as a teacher.
(3) A student seeking to participate in the program may apply
directly to the commission or may seek nomination for eligibility
by the eligible post-secondary institution the student attends.
(4) An eligible post-secondary institution may nominate an
eligible student to the commission to participate in the program.
(5) The commission shall determine whether the student
qualifies for the program based on the criteria set out in
subsection (2) of this section. + }
SECTION 3. { + (1) The Oregon Student Assistance Commission
shall award each participant:
(a) A $500 service award voucher for the first year of study
after acceptance into the Multicultural Student to Educator
Program; and
(b) A $500 service award voucher for the second year of study
after acceptance into the program.
(2) In addition to the service award vouchers awarded under
subsection (1) of this section, the commission shall award to
each participant who agrees to four years of full-time employment
as a teacher in an Oregon school district:
(a) A $2,000 service award voucher after completion of the
first year of the full-time employment;
(b) A $3,000 service award voucher after completion of the
second year of the full-time employment;
(c) A $4,000 service award voucher after completion of the
third year of the full-time employment; and
(d) A $5,000 service award voucher after completion of the
fourth year of the full-time employment.
(3) In addition to the service award vouchers awarded under
subsection (1) of this section, the commission shall award to
each participant who agrees to three years of full-time
employment as a school counselor or as a mathematics, science,
second language, English to speakers of other languages, reading
or special education teacher in an Oregon school district or as a
full-time teacher in a school in a low income area, as defined by
the commission by rule:
(a) A $3,500 service award voucher after completion of the
first year of the full-time employment;
(b) A $4,500 service award voucher after completion of the
second year of the full-time employment; and
(c) A $6,000 service award voucher after completion of the
third year of the full-time employment.
(4) A participant may use a service award voucher for any of
the following purposes:
(a) Repayment of a loan incurred by the participant for higher
education costs;
(b) Payment of higher education costs at an eligible
post-secondary institution incurred by the participant; and
(c) As a contribution to a qualified college savings plan under
section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. + }
SECTION 4. { + (1) The participant shall complete the
employment requirement specified under section 3 of this 2007 Act
not later than six years after the date the participant graduates
from the licensure program approved by the Teacher Standards and
Practices Commission. The Oregon Student Assistance Commission
may allow a participant additional time, not to exceed three
years, to complete the employment requirement. The total
employment requirement period, including any deferment period,
may not exceed nine years. The commission may grant a participant
additional time to complete the employment requirement as
follows:
(a) For the period of enrollment if a participant returns to
school on a full-time basis in any course of study at an eligible
post-secondary institution;
(b) Three additional years if the participant enters active
service with the Armed Forces of the United States;
(c) Three additional years if the participant enters the Peace
Corps, AmeriCorps, Volunteers in Service to America or a similar
private agency with federal tax-exempt status;
(d) For a period of not more than six months if a participant
becomes unemployed and provides proof satisfactory to the
commission that the participant is actively seeking employment;
and
(e) For a period determined by the commission for other reasons
allowed by the commission.
(2) A participant must hold a bachelor's degree and a
nonprovisional license issued by the Teacher Standards and
Practices Commission to be eligible for the service award
vouchers under section 3 (2) or (3) of this 2007 Act. + }
SECTION 5. { + (1) The Multicultural Student to Educator Fund
is established in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from
the General Fund. Interest earned by the Multicultural Student to
Educator Fund shall be credited to the fund. Moneys in the fund
are continuously appropriated to the Oregon Student Assistance
Commission for the purpose of awarding service award vouchers to
participants in the Multicultural Student to Educator Program.
(2) The commission may seek grants and donations to provide
funding for the program. The commission shall deposit any moneys
received under this subsection in the fund. + }
SECTION 6. { + Sections 1 to 5 of this 2007 Act first apply to
participants who attend an eligible post-secondary institution
during the 2008-2009 academic year. + }
SECTION 7. { + There is appropriated to the Oregon Student
Assistance Commission, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2007,
out of the General Fund, the amount of $500,000 for the
Multicultural Student to Educator Fund established in section 5
of this 2007 Act. + }
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