"An Act relating to the Alaska teacher recruitment loan repayment program; and providing for an effective date."

SB 84, "An Act relating to the Alaska teacher recruitment loan repayment program; and providing for an effective date" is a bill that will help school districts throughout Alaska recruit and retain teachers in a time of critical shortage.

SB 84 will give school districts a valuable tool to help solve this problem by establishing the Alaska Teacher Recruitment Loan Repayment Program. This program will provide financial incentives through the repayment, in whole or part, by the state, of education loans for teachers, upon the teacher's being first hired at an Alaskan public elementary, or secondary school. The bill creates an account in the General Fund and empowers the Alaska Commission on Post Secondary Education to administer the program, determine the availability of funding for it, and verify eligibility. The bill also limits the lifetime financial award for an individual teacher to $10,000.

With the passage of this bill, those pursuing a teaching career in Alaska will reduce their financial burden. SB 84 will also give school districts throughout Alaska an added resource in attracting new teachers. I urge your support of this bill.

Last Updated: 03/06/2003

# # #