The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 221, aims to amend the existing aspiring educators scholarship program administered by the Department of Education. The bill repeals the current language in Section 10-156ii, which previously focused on providing scholarships to "diverse students" from alliance districts, and replaces it with a broader definition that includes "aspiring educators" who have graduated from any public high school in Connecticut and are enrolled in a teacher preparation program at a four-year institution. The scholarship amount remains up to ten thousand dollars annually for each eligible aspiring educator in good standing. Additionally, the bill introduces new criteria for scholarship repayment for recipients who do not fulfill teaching commitments in identified shortage areas.

Furthermore, the bill modifies Section 10-8b to enhance the identification of teacher shortage areas by including not only subject and geographic shortages but also population subgroups that are underrepresented in the teaching profession. The Commissioner of Education is tasked with certifying these shortage areas and distributing relevant information to higher education institutions. The bill also mandates the development of a policy for scholarship administration, including eligibility criteria and notification processes for high school students, and requires annual reporting on scholarship recipients to ensure transparency and accountability. The changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-156ii, 10-8b