SESSION OF 2002

SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE BILL NO. 393

As Recommended by Senate Committee on

Education

Brief

       SB 393 concerns the Kansas Teacher Scholarship Program and would remove the present limit of 50 new scholarships that can be awarded each year.

Background

       The Kansas Teacher Scholarship Program is a service scholarship administered by the State Board of Regents which makes assistance available to students enrolled in teacher education programs. A student who becomes certificated as a teacher and works in Kansas in a “hard to fill” teaching discipline or underserved geographic area one year for each year of assistance does not have to repay the scholarship. (The provision about underserved geographic areas will take effect school year 2002-03.)

       According to information presented by the State Board of Regents, in FY 2001, 102 scholarships were awarded, of which 60 were renewals and 42 were new. Total awards were $478,014. In FY 2002, 87 scholarships were awarded, of which 57 were renewals and 30 were new. Total awards were $419,411. The average scholarship is $5,000.

       The State Board of Regents’ Director of Student Financial Assistance told the Senate Committee that the State Board is not opposed to removing the limit of 50 new awards, but is not able to predict the impact of the change, in part because the new provision relating to teaching in underserved geographic areas could result in more students applying for assistance. The representative of the State Board told the Committee that, if more than 50 students are eligible for assistance and funding does not increase, the awards would be prorated among scholarship recipients.

       A representative of K-NEA spoke in support of any initiative that would help more students enter the teaching profession, but noted that expansion of the program is dependent upon the availability of funding.

       A fiscal note prepared by the Division of the Budget points out that, in the last two years, removing the limit on new awards would have had no effect because fewer awards were made than the statutory limit. The note also points out that, even if the number of new awards increases and the State Board is able to award additional scholarships, the total cost of the program is subject to appropriation and would not expand unless the Legislature appropriated additional money.

       Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet http://www.kslegislature.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi