06 LC 33
0984
House
Bill 1200
By:
Representatives Dickson of the
6th,
Maxwell of the
17th,
Coleman of the
97th,
Amerson of the
9th,
and Williams of the
4th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Part 7 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to HOPE scholarships and grants, so as to change
certain eligibility requirements relating to HOPE
teacheŕs
scholarships; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and
for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Part
7 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to HOPE scholarships and grants, is amended by striking
subsection (a) of Code Section 20-3-519.8, relating to HOPE
teacheŕs
scholarships, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(a)
To be eligible for a HOPE
teacheŕs
scholarship, a student shall:
(1)
Meet the residency requirements by:
(A)
In the case of a student attending a unit of the University System of Georgia,
meeting the requirements to be eligible for in-state tuition under the policy
set by the board of regents; or
(B)
In the case of a student attending an eligible private postsecondary
institution, being classified as a legal resident of Georgia for the purposes of
a tuition equalization grant;
(2)
Be admitted into graduate school and into an advanced degree or approved teacher
education program in a critical shortage field of study leading to certification
or into an
advanced degree program in
education;
(3)
Be one of the following:
(A)
A teacher working in a public or private accredited school in Georgia who has a
baccalaureate degree and is seeking an advanced degree in his or her current
field which is a critical shortage field or in a new critical shortage
field;
(B)
An individual with a baccalaureate degree who is seeking an advanced degree in a
critical shortage field;
(C)
An individual with a baccalaureate degree in a critical shortage field who is
seeking an advanced degree in education;
(C)(D)
An individual with a
masteŕs
degree in a critical shortage field who is seeking certification as a specialist
or a doctorate in his or her current critical shortage field;
(D)(E)
An individual with a
masteŕs
degree in a field which is not a critical shortage field who is seeking an
advanced degree in a critical shortage field;
(E)(F)
An individual who has certification as a specialist in a critical shortage field
who is seeking a doctorate in his or her current critical shortage field;
or
(F)(G)
A teacher working in a public or private accredited school in Georgia who is
seeking to complete an approved program in a critical shortage field for which
degree programs are not generally offered; and
(4)
Agree to teach in his or her critical shortage field in a public school in
Georgia at the preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary level for one
academic year for each $2,500.00 in HOPE teacher scholarship funds awarded and
sign a promissory note that stipulates the cash repayment obligation incurred if
the teaching service is not
fulfilled."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.