The bill amends the state school aid act of 1979 to allocate funds for the MI future educator student teacher stipend program. Specifically, it designates $30 million from the state school aid fund and $20 million from the educator fellowship public provider fund for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The bill expands eligibility for the stipend program to include student teachers working in qualifying publicly funded preschool programs in addition to traditional school districts. It outlines the requirements for eligible student teachers, including enrollment in an educator preparation program, completion of required coursework, and maintaining satisfactory academic progress.

Additionally, the bill specifies the payment structure for eligible educator preparation programs, allowing for a maximum of $9,600 per academic semester for each eligible student teacher placed in a district or qualifying preschool program. It also establishes a priority for funding distribution to Pell grant recipients if the allocated funds are insufficient to cover all eligible student teachers. The bill introduces new definitions for "eligible educator preparation program" and "qualifying publicly funded preschool program," ensuring clarity in the eligibility criteria for funding.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 388.1627
As Passed by the Senate: 388.1627