AB938: Bill Text

AB938,1,6 An Act to renumber 39.399 (3) (b) 2.; to renumber and amend 39.399 (1m) (b) and 39.399 (3) (b) 1.; to amend 20.235 (1) (ct), 39.399 (title), 39.399 (1m) (intro.) and 39.399 (3) (b) (intro.); and to create 39.399 (1m) (b) 2., 39.399 (3) (b) 1m. (intro.) and 39.399 (3) (b) 2m. of the statutes; relating to: allowing certain child care providers to participate in the teacher loan program and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under this bill, students enrolled in programs leading to a bachelor's degree in early childhood education are eligible for loans under a program under current law.

Current law requires the Higher Educational Aids Board to establish a program for making loans to students enrolled in programs leading to teaching licenses in disciplines that the federal Department of Education has identified as teacher shortage areas. To be eligible for the loans, a student must be a state resident who is enrolled at an in-state institution of higher education. In addition, the student must maintain a specified minimum grade point average. Current law requires HEAB to forgive 25 percent of a loan and interest for each year that a loan recipient is employed full-time as a teacher in a high-demand area related to the discipline identified by the federal Department of Education. In addition, to be eligible for forgiveness, the loan recipient must be employed by a private or public elementary or secondary school in a rural county or the city of Milwaukee.

Under this bill, a student enrolled in a program leading to a bachelor's degree in early childhood education is also eligible for loans under the program, if he or she is a state resident who is enrolled at an in-state institution of higher education and he or she maintains the specified minimum grade point average. Also, the bill requires HEAB to forgive 25 percent of a loan and interest for each year that the loan recipient is employed full-time as a child care provider in the area of early childhood education by a public or private school or a licensed child care center that provides services to individuals who receive a child care subsidy under Wisconsin Shares, without regard to the location of the school or center.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB938,1 Section 1 . 20.235 (1) (ct) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB938,2,3 20.235 (1) (ct) Teacher and child care provider loan program. The amounts in the schedule for the teacher loan program under s. 39.399.

AB938,2 Section 2 . 39.399 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB938,2,5 39.399 (title) Teacher and child care provider loan program.

AB938,3 Section 3 . 39.399 (1m) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB938,2,8 39.399 (1m) (intro.) The board shall establish a teacher loan program for students who meet all of the following requirements:

AB938,4 Section 4 . 39.399 (1m) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 39.399 (1m) (b) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB938,2,12 39.399 (1m) (b) (intro.) Are enrolled in programs of study leading to a one of the following:

AB938,2,14 1. A teacher's license in a discipline identified as a teacher shortage area for this state by the federal department of education.

AB938,5 Section 5 . 39.399 (1m) (b) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

AB938,2,16 39.399 (1m) (b) 2. A bachelor's degree in early childhood education.

AB938,6 Section 6. 39.399 (3) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB938,3,4 39.399 (3) (b) (intro.) The board shall forgive 25 percent of the loan and 25 percent of the interest on the loan for each school year the recipient satisfies all one of the following:

AB938,7 Section 7 . 39.399 (3) (b) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 39.399 (3) (b) 1m. a. and amended to read:

AB938,3,10 39.399 (3) (b) 1m. a. The recipient is employed, as a full-time teacher in a high-demand area related to the recipient's discipline under sub. (1m) (b) 1., by a public or private elementary or secondary school in the city of Milwaukee or in a school district in a rural county.

AB938,8 Section 8 . 39.399 (3) (b) 1m. (intro.) of the statutes is created to read:

AB938,3,13 39.399 (3) (b) 1m. (intro.) If the recipient satisfied the eligibility requirement under sub. (1m) (b) 1., the recipient satisfies all of the following:

AB938,9 Section 9 . 39.399 (3) (b) 2. of the statutes is renumbered 39.399 (3) (b) 1m. b.

AB938,10 Section 10 . 39.399 (3) (b) 2m. of the statutes is created to read:

AB938,3,19 39.399 (3) (b) 2m. If the recipient satisfied the eligibility requirement under sub. (1m) (b) 2., the recipient is employed full-time as a child care provider in the area of early childhood education by a public or private school or a licensed child care center that participates in the program under s. 49.155.

AB938,11 Section 11 . Fiscal changes.

AB938,3,24 (1) In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the higher educational aids board under s. 20.235 (1) (ct), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2019-20 is increased by $100,000 and the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21 is increased by $100,000 for the purpose for which the appropriation is made.

AB938,3,25 (End)