The bill proposes the creation of the Shortage Teaching Fields Tuition Assistance Fund within the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner (OPC) in Rhode Island. This fund is designed to provide financial assistance to eligible individuals attending a Rhode Island postsecondary institution with the aim of becoming teachers in fields where there is a critical shortage of educators, specifically in sciences and mathematics for grades seven through twelve. The assistance covers not only tuition but also other necessary costs such as transportation, child care, and course-related materials. The bill defines key terms such as "costs of attending," "service requirement," and "tuition assistance recipients," and outlines the eligibility criteria for individuals, which include enrollment in a teaching program for a shortage field and completion of a service requirement of three years of full-time teaching in the state.

The bill also details the conditions under which tuition assistance would need to be repaid as a loan, such as if an individual leaves their teaching program before completing their degree or fails to fulfill the service requirement. It specifies that transferring between postsecondary institutions in Rhode Island will not affect eligibility, provided other requirements are met. The OPC is tasked with administering the fund and establishing rules and regulations, including defining shortage teaching fields, creating application guides, and determining the nature of additional costs covered. The OPC must also report annually to the speaker of the house, senate president, and the governor, evaluating the fund's impact while maintaining the privacy of individuals receiving assistance. The act will take effect upon passage.