The bill proposes an appropriation of $20,000,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to support teacher candidates engaged in student teaching. The funds will be allocated to the commissioner of education, who will award a grant to a nonprofit organization responsible for distributing stipends to teacher candidates completing at least 12 weeks of student teaching in programs approved by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board. The stipends will be awarded per student and per licensure program, with a minimum compensation of $15 per hour, and will not impact the candidates' financial aid packages.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that eligible grantees must have experience in managing sensitive personal information and allows for up to five percent of the grant to be used for administrative costs. It is noted that this appropriation is a one-time allocation, emphasizing the temporary nature of the funding aimed at enhancing support for future educators during their student teaching experience.