Provides that undergraduate and/or graduate students who are matriculated in an approved graduate or undergraduate program at degree granting institutions located in the state of New York leading to a career as a primary or secondary teacher in a school providing special education, shall be eligible for an award.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4485
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 13, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sens. RANZENHOFER, FELDER, FUNKE, HELMING, ORTT -- read
twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the
Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to incentive programs for
teaching those with disabilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 669-i
2 to read as follows:
3 § 669-i. New York state teaching those with disabilities incentive
4 program. 1. Eligibility. Notwithstanding subdivision five of section six
5 hundred sixty-one of this part, undergraduate and/or graduate students
6 who are matriculated in an approved undergraduate or graduate program at
7 degree granting institutions located within the state of New York lead-
8 ing to a career as a primary or secondary teacher in, or leading to a
9 license to provide therapeutic support of students in, a school provid-
10 ing special education as defined in this section, shall be eligible for
11 an award under this section, provided the applicant:
12 (a) signs a contract with the corporation agreeing to teach in the
13 classroom or provide therapeutic services on a full-time basis for five
14 years in a school providing special education as defined in this section
15 located within New York; and
16 (b) complies with the applicable provisions of this article and all
17 requirements promulgated by the corporation for the administration of
18 the program.
19 2. Amount. Within amounts appropriated therefor, awards shall be
20 granted to applicants that the corporation has certified are eligible to
21 receive such awards. Up to five hundred awards may be made to new recip-
22 ients annually. Such awards shall be made to recipients after the
23 successful completion of each academic year, as defined by the corpo-
24 ration.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01796-01-9
S. 4485 2
1 3. Duration. An award shall entitle the recipient to annual payments
2 for not more than four academic years of full-time undergraduate study
3 and one academic year of full-time graduate study leading to certif-
4 ication as a classroom teacher or a license to provide therapeutic care
5 in a school providing special education as defined in this section.
6 4. Conditions. Recipients shall receive an annual payment for the
7 successful completion of an academic year, equal to the annual tuition
8 charged to state resident students attending an undergraduate program
9 full-time at the state university of New York, or actual tuition
10 charged, whichever is less.
11 5. Recipient. The corporation shall convert to a student loan the full
12 amount of the award given pursuant to this section, plus interest,
13 according to a schedule to be determined by the corporation if:
14 (a) two years after the completion of the degree program and receipt
15 of initial certification it is found that a recipient is not teaching or
16 providing therapeutic services in a school providing special education
17 as defined in this section located within New York state on a full-time
18 basis; or
19 (b) a recipient has not taught or provided therapeutic services in a
20 school providing special education as defined in this section located
21 within New York state on a full-time basis for five of the seven years
22 after the completion of the degree program and receipt of initial
23 certification or license; or
24 (c) a recipient fails to complete his or her degree program or changes
25 majors to an undergraduate degree program other than in primary or
26 secondary education or other therapeutic service in a school providing
27 special education as defined in this section; or
28 (d) a recipient fails to receive or maintain their teaching certif-
29 icate or license to provide therapeutic treatment in New York state; or
30 (e) a recipient fails to respond to requests by the corporation for
31 the status of his or her academic or professional progress. The terms
32 and conditions of this subdivision shall be deferred for any inter-
33 ruption in undergraduate or graduate study or employment as established
34 by the rules and regulations of the corporation. Any obligation to
35 comply with such provisions as outlined in this section shall be
36 cancelled upon the death of the recipient. Notwithstanding any
37 provisions of this subdivision to the contrary, the corporation is
38 authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to provide for the waiver
39 or suspension of any financial obligation which would involve extreme
40 hardship.
41 6. Authorization. The corporation is authorized to promulgate rules
42 and regulations necessary for the implementation of the provisions of
43 this section, including the criteria for the provision of awards on a
44 competitive basis and the rate of interest charged for repayment of the
45 student loan.
46 7. Definitions. For the purposes of this section:
47 (a) "school providing special education" shall be defined as a school
48 created by chapter eight hundred fifty-three of the laws of nineteen
49 hundred seventy-six, a school created by a special act of the legisla-
50 ture for the purpose of providing education services to students who
51 reside in child care institutions, state supported schools established
52 by the legislature pursuant to section four thousand two hundred one of
53 this chapter or state operated schools established pursuant to article
54 eighty-seven of this chapter; and
S. 4485 3
1 (b) "therapeutic support" shall be defined as counselling, clinical
2 support, nursing, behavior therapy, speech therapy, occupational thera-
3 py, physical therapy or social work.
4 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
5 have become a law.
