HB 128

Abstract

Virginia Diverse Educator Scholarship Fund and Program established. Establishes the Virginia Diverse Educator Scholarship Fund and Program, to be administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, for the purpose of annually providing to each Historically Black College or University in the Commonwealth (defined in the bill as Norfolk State University and Virginia State University) such sums as are necessary for each such institution to annually provide renewable last-dollar scholarships on a competitive basis to two students who (i) attended a a public elementary or secondary school in the Commonwealth in which at least 75 percent of the enrolled students qualify for free or reduced price lunch or are members of families whose income is below the federal poverty guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; (ii) are accepted to or enrolled in such institution's education preparation program; and (iii) are eligible for a federal Pell Grant to attend such institution. The bill provides that each such scholarship would consist of the following sums: (a) the cost of tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, and textbooks at such institution; (b) the recipient's teacher licensure fees; (c) $5,000 toward teacher professional development activities for the recipient, including coursework, seminars, and conferences; and (d) $10,000 toward mentorship of the recipient by a master teacher, defined as an experienced public elementary or secondary school teacher who is deemed by the relevant school board to be highly effective and able to provide high quality mentorship. The bill requires each student who is awarded a scholarship pursuant to the Program to agree in writing to (1) teach in a public elementary or secondary school in the Commonwealth in which at least 75 percent of the enrolled students qualify for free or reduced price lunch or are members of families whose income is below the federal poverty guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services upon graduation for a period that is at least as long as the period during which the recipient used scholarship funds to attend a Historically Black College or University and (2) be mentored by a master teacher during such period of employment.

Virginia Diverse Educator Scholarship Fund and Programestablished. Establishes the Virginia Diverse Educator Scholarship Fund andProgram, to be administered by the State Council of Higher Education forVirginia, for the purpose of annually providing to each Historically BlackCollege or University in the Commonwealth (defined in the bill as HamptonUniversity, Norfolk State University, Virginia State University, and VirginiaUnion University) such sums as are necessary for each such institution toannually provide renewable scholarships on a competitive basis to two studentswho (i) attended a a public elementary or secondary school in the Commonwealthin which at least 75 percent of the enrolled students qualify for free orreduced price lunch or are members of families whose income is below thefederal poverty guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services; (ii) are accepted to or enrolled in such institution'seducation preparation program; and (iii) are eligible for a federal Pell Grantto attend such institution. The bill provides that each such scholarship wouldconsist of the following sums: (a) the cost of tuition, mandatory fees, roomand board, and textbooks at such institution; (b) the recipient's teacherlicensure fees; (c) $5,000 toward teacher professional development activitiesfor the recipient, including coursework, seminars, and conferences; and (d)$10,000 toward mentorship of the recipient by a master teacher, defined as anexperienced public elementary or secondary school teacher who is deemed by therelevant school board to be highly effective and able to provide high qualitymentorship. The bill requires each student who is awarded a scholarshippursuant to the Program to agree in writing to (1) teach in a public elementaryor secondary school in the Commonwealth in which at least 75 percent of theenrolled students qualify for free or reduced price lunch or are members offamilies whose income is below the federal poverty guidelines established bythe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services upon graduation for a periodthat is at least as long as the period during which the recipient usedscholarship funds to attend a Historically Black College or University and (2)be mentored by a master teacher during such period of employment.