BILL NUMBER:S4312

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to the repayment of
awards under the New York state math and science teaching incentive
program

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of the bill is to amend repayment provisions where a
recipient of an award substantially completes his or her obligations,
but is unable to complete such obligations through no fault of his or
her own.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section One - amends paragraph (b) of section 669-d of the Education
Law relating to the math and science teaching incentive program to
provide that when an award recipient has completed at least three
years of the five year obligation, and thereafter loses his or her job
through no fault, and is thereafter unable, despite best efforts, to
find other employment within the seven year period required by the
incentive program, then that recipient will be obligated to repay the
prorate share of the award based on the time employed dived by five,
with interest from the time the recipient lost his or her job.
              

Section Two - Effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:

Many schools are abolishing positions and releasing teachers as they
downsize their faculty, sometimes releasing teachers who have worked
for several years and have received tenure. Under the terms of the
math and science teaching incentive program, if a recipient does not
work in an eligible school for at least five of seven years after
completion of his or her degree program, the entire amount of grants
plus accrued interest must be repaid. With school downsizing, we find
that some recipients are seeking employment, finding eligible jobs and
working for several, but less than five, years before being laid off.
Such recipients try to find another job, but there are no jobs
available, and they are then notified that they owe the entire amount
of their grant, plus interest from the inception of their
participation, and that it must be paid off in ten years. This does
not seem fair when such recipients have fulfilled a substantial
portion of their commitment, cannot find employment through no fault
of their own, and are now faced with owing more interest than if they
had simply obtained school loans. In essence, participation in the
grant program has penalized them. This bill seeks to remedy this
unfair situation.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:


To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately.

                                BILL NUMBER:S4312A

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to the
repayment of awards under the New York state math and science teaching
incentive program

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: The purpose of the bill is to amend
repayment provisions where a recipient of an award substantially
completes his or her obligations, but is unable to complete such
obligations through no fault of his or her own.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section One - amends paragraph (b) of section 669-d of the Education
Law relating to the math and science teaching incentive program to
provide that when an award recipient has completed at least three
years of the five year obligation, and thereafter loses his or her job
through no fault, and is thereafter unable, despite best efforts, to
find other employment within the seven year period required by the
incentive program, then that recipient will be obligated to repay the
prorate share of the award based on the time employed divided by five
times the amount of the award, with interest from the time the
recipient lost his or her job.

Section Two - Effective date.

              

JUSTIFICATION: Many schools are abolishing positions and releasing
teachers as they downsize their faculty, sometimes releasing teachers
who have worked for several years and have received tenure. Under the
terms of the math and science teaching incentive program, if a
recipient does not work in an eligible school for at least five of
seven years after completion of his or her degree program, the entire
amount of grants plus accrued interest must be repaid. With school
downsizing, we find that some recipients are seeking employment,
finding eligible jobs and working for several, but less than five,
years before being laid off. Such recipients try to find another job,
but there are no jobs available, and they are then notified that they
owe the entire amount of their grant, plus interest from the inception
of their participation, and that it must be paid of in ten years. This
does not seem fair when such recipients have fulfilled a substantial
portion of their commitment, cannot find employment through no fault
of their own, and are now faced with owing more interest than if they
had simply obtained school loans. In essence, participation in the
grant program has penalized them. This bill seeks to remedy this
unfair situation.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.