Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

0155.01000
     Sixty-eighth
     Legislative Assembly                    SENATE BILL NO. 2033
     of North Dakota
     Introduced by
       Legislative Management
       (Higher Education Committee)
  A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 15.1-02 of the North Dakota
  Century Code, relating to teacher shortage loan forgiveness; to amend and reenact section
  15.1-02-04 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the duties of the superintendent of
  public instruction; and to provide an appropriation.
  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
      SECTION 1. A new section to chapter 15.1-02 of the North Dakota Century Code is created
  and enacted as follows:
      Loans - Teacher shortages - Loan forgiveness.
      1.   The superintendent of public instruction shall administer a student loan forgiveness
          program for individuals teaching at grade levels, in content areas, and in geographical
          locations identified as having a teacher shortage or critical need. The superintendent
          shall adopt rules to implement the program.
     2.   The superintendent annually shall identify grade levels, content areas, and
          geographical locations in which a teacher shortage or critical need exists.
     3.   To be eligible for loan forgiveness under this section, an individual:
          a.     Must have graduated from an accredited teacher preparation program and
                 signed a contract to teach at a grade level or in a content area and in a
                 geographical location identified by the superintendent as having an existing
                 teacher shortage or critical need; and
          b.     Must have an existing student loan.
     4.   For purposes of this section, the definitions of rural school district and remote town
          school district have the same meaning as the definitions under the national center for
          education statistics locale codes.
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      5.   If an individual is receiving loan forgiveness under any other provision, the individual
           may not receive loan forgiveness under this section during the same application year.
      6.   Subject to legislative appropriations, an eligible individual may receive loan
           forgiveness under the program as follows:
           a.   If the individual accepts one of up to five positions of critical need identified by the
                superintendent of public instruction in a nonrural school district or nonremote
                town school district, the individual may receive up to two thousand five hundred
                dollars per year for a maximum of four years.
           b.   If the individual accepts a position in a rural school district or remote town school
               district with an enrollment of fewer than one thousand students, the individual
               may receive up to three thousand seven hundred fifty dollars per year for a
               maximum of four years.
          c.   If the individual accepts one of up to five positions of critical need identified by the
               superintendent of public instruction in a rural school district or remote town
               school district with an enrollment of fewer than one thousand students, the
               individual may receive up to five thousand dollars per year for a maximum of four
               years.
     7.   The superintendent shall consider all applications under this section based on the
          number of unfilled school vacancies, prioritized by critical need and geographic
          location.
     8.   Upon notification the individual has completed a full year of teaching in a school
          district, state-supported school, or nonpublic school in this state at a grade level or in a
          content area and in a geographical location identified by the superintendent as one in
          which a teacher shortage or critical need exists, the superintendent shall distribute
          funds directly to the lending institution of the individual to repay outstanding loan
          principal balances on behalf of an eligible applicant. The superintendent shall
          terminate loan forgiveness payments to an eligible individual if the loan principal
          balance of the eligible individual is paid in full.
    SECTION 2. AMENDMENT. Section 15.1-02-04 of the North Dakota Century Code is
 amended and reenacted as follows:
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     15.1-02-04. Superintendent of public instruction - Duties. (Effective through June 30,
  2023)
     The superintendent of public instruction:
      1.   Shall supervise the provision of elementary and secondary education to the students
           of this state.
      2.   Shall supervise the establishment and maintenance of schools and provide advice and
           counsel regarding the welfare of the schools.
      3.   Shall supervise the development of course content standards.
      4.   Shall supervise the assessment of students.
     5.   Shall serve as an ex officio member of the board of university and school lands.
     6.   Shall keep a complete record of all official acts and appeals.
     7.   As appropriate, shall determine the outcome of appeals regarding education matters.
     8.   Shall direct school district annexation, reorganization, and dissolution and employ and
          compensate personnel necessary to enable the state board of public school education
          to carry out its powers and duties regarding school district annexation, reorganization,
          and dissolution.
     9.   Shall facilitate a process to review and update annually the statewide prekindergarten
          through grade twelve education strategic vision. The process must include input and
          participation from a steering committee that includes representatives of all state-level
          entities receiving state education funding and education stakeholder groups. Each
          steering committee member entity receiving state education funds shall provide
          components of the entity's strategic plan which are aligned to the statewide strategic
          vision. The steering committee shall prepare a collaborative report of the strategic
          plans of each committee member entity receiving state education funds. The
          superintendent shall provide the collaborative report and any updates to the strategic
          vision to the legislative management during each interim and to a joint meeting of the
          education standing committees during each regular legislative session.
    10.   Shall administer a student loan forgiveness program for individuals teaching at grade
          levels, in content areas, and in geographical locations identified as having a teacher
          shortage or critical need.
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     11.   Shall facilitate the development and implementation of a North Dakota learning
           continuum in collaboration with the department of career and technical education,
           upon the recommendation of the kindergarten through grade twelve education
           coordination council.
     12.   Shall collaborate with workforce development stakeholders and the kindergarten
           through grade twelve education coordination council to determine how best to
           integrate computer science and cybersecurity into elementary, middle, and high school
           curriculum under sections 15.1-21-01 and 15.1-21-02. Before September 1, 2022, the
           superintendent shall provide a report to the legislative management regarding the
          outcome of this collaboration.
    Superintendent of public instruction - Duties. (Effective after June 30, 2023)
    The superintendent of public instruction:
     1.   Shall supervise the provision of elementary and secondary education to the students
          of this state.
     2.   Shall supervise the establishment and maintenance of schools and provide advice and
          counsel regarding the welfare of the schools.
     3.   Shall supervise the development of course content standards.
     4.   Shall supervise the assessment of students.
     5.   Shall serve as an ex officio member of the board of university and school lands.
     6.   Shall keep a complete record of all official acts and appeals.
     7.   As appropriate, shall determine the outcome of appeals regarding education matters.
     8.   Shall direct school district annexation, reorganization, and dissolution and employ and
          compensate personnel necessary to enable the state board of public school education
          to carry out its powers and duties regarding school district annexation, reorganization,
          and dissolution.
     9.   Shall facilitate a process to review and update annually the statewide prekindergarten
          through grade twelve education strategic vision. The process must include input and
          participation from a steering committee that includes representatives of all state-level
          entities receiving state education funding and education stakeholder groups. Each
          steering committee member entity receiving state education funds shall provide
          components of the entity's strategic plan which are aligned to the statewide strategic
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     Legislative Assembly
           vision. The steering committee shall prepare a collaborative report of the strategic
           plans of each committee member entity receiving state education funds. The
           superintendent shall provide the collaborative report and any updates to the strategic
           vision to the legislative management during each interim and to a joint meeting of the
           education standing committees during each regular legislative session.
     10.   Shall administer a student loan forgiveness program for individuals teaching at grade
           levels, in content areas, and in geographical locations identified as having a teacher
           shortage or critical need.
     11.   Shall facilitate the development and implementation of a North Dakota learning
          continuum in collaboration with the department of career and technical education,
          upon the recommendation of the kindergarten through grade twelve education
          coordination council.
     SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION - TEACHER
 SHORTAGE STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM. There is appropriated out of any
 moneys in the general fund in the state treasury, not otherwise appropriated, the sum of
 $3,000,000, or so much of the sum as may be necessary, to the department of public instruction
 for the purpose of teacher shortage student loan forgiveness payments, for the biennium
 beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025.
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Statutes affected: 
INTRODUCED: 15.1-02-04
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 15.1-02-04