The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5216, aims to establish a program called the "Student Teacher Investment and Professional Educator Network for Development" (STIPEND) program, effective July 1, 2026. Under this program, the Department of Education will provide stipends of $1,000 per week to teacher preparation programs for each student teacher participating in a student teaching experience at a public school in Connecticut. Teacher preparation programs are required to report the estimated number of student teachers and their completion status to the Department of Education at specified intervals. If a student teacher does not complete their experience, the program must request reimbursement on a pro rata basis.

Additionally, the bill mandates that the Department of Education monitor the employment status of student teachers who received stipends for three years post-graduation. If a student teacher is not employed as a certified teacher in a public school for at least two years after graduation, they must reimburse at least 50% of the stipends received. The Department is also required to submit an annual report on the employment rates of these student teachers to the education committee of the General Assembly. The bill does not include any deletions from current law.