House Bill 504 amends Tennessee Code Annotated to establish a pilot program for the Tennessee Future Teacher scholarship, aimed at encouraging students to pursue careers in education. The bill defines "eligible candidates" as students enrolled in approved educator preparation programs (EPP) during their junior or senior years or as post-baccalaureate students seeking an initial educator license. It specifies that candidates must be U.S. citizens who have resided in Tennessee for at least one year prior to admission to a postsecondary institution. The scholarship amount is set at $5,000 per academic year, contingent upon available funding, and requires recipients to commit to teaching in a targeted setting for at least two consecutive years.

The bill also outlines the conditions under which a scholarship may be revoked, including failure to meet admission standards or not fulfilling the teaching commitment. Additionally, it mandates a review by the Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) to assess the program's effectiveness in increasing the number of licensed educators in Tennessee, with reports due at specified intervals. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-4-701(b)(2), 49-4-701, 49-4-701(b), 49-4-701(c), 49-4-701(d), 49-4-701(f)(2), 49-4-701(h), 49-4-701(i), 49-4-701(k)