The proposed bill establishes a new chapter, CHAPTER 117, titled "Postsecondary Tuition Assistance for Shortage Teaching Fields," within Title 16 of the General Laws related to education. It creates a restricted receipt account known as the Shortage Teaching Fields Tuition Assistance Fund, which will provide financial assistance to eligible individuals attending Rhode Island postsecondary institutions in programs aimed at addressing critical educator shortages in specific subject areas, including but not limited to sciences and mathematics for grades seven through twelve.

The bill outlines eligibility criteria for recipients, which include being enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a Rhode Island postsecondary institution in a program to become a teacher in a shortage field, completing a service requirement of at least three years of full-time teaching in a shortage teaching field in the state, and fulfilling any other conditions required by the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner (OPC). Additionally, recipients will not be required to submit SAT or Advanced Placement (AP) test scores for admission to the teaching degree program and are not mandated to be Rhode Island residents.

The bill specifies that funds will be allocated toward tuition, room, board, mandatory fees, and additional costs of attending a Rhode Island postsecondary institution, covering expenses that remain after all other financial aid has been awarded. The OPC is tasked with administering the fund and promulgating rules and regulations necessary to implement the program, which includes defining shortage teaching fields, providing guidance on the application process, and ensuring privacy in reporting.

The act is set to take effect upon passage.