HOUSE BILL 9
Summary of House Bill 9
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SPONSOR(S)
Rep. Gayle Manning (District 52) Rep. Mary Lightbody (District 4) TARGETS Student loan agreements undertaken by Ohio educators Educator licensing and development standards DESCRIPTION Establishes the "Grow Your Own Teacher Program" by creating a loan repayment program for eligible teachers Makes changes to teacher licensing and professional development requirements |
COMMITTEE
House Primary and Secondary Education Committee INTRODUCED February 15, 2023 BILL General Info | As-Written | Analysis |
What does House Bill 9 do?
House Bill 9 is named the "Grow Your Own Teacher Program," referring to the professional trajectory undertaken by educators in Ohio.
The bill would create a loan repayment plan for certain Ohio educators:
HB 9 would also adjust certain licensure and professional development policies:
The bill would create a loan repayment plan for certain Ohio educators:
- Direct the state treasury to create a teacher loan repayment fund, as designated by the General Assembly. That fund will be used to make the payments per the criteria established for the program
- Directs the Department of Education and the Chancellor of Higher Education to create a loan repayment program for Ohio educators
- Educators who are eligible for loan repayment must:
- Be Ohio residents
- Hold an active and valid teaching license
- Be "full-time employed for the first time as a classroom teacher"
- Be in good standing in their school and district
- Have earned a Bachelor's degree issued by an Ohio institution of higher education
- Have made all applicable payments to their loans according to their loan repayment schedule
- Have been teaching "for five consecutive school years in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics to students enrolled in any of grades 7-12"
- Apply for the loan repayment program
- The loan repayment program will pay "the lesser of $40,000 or the total amount of the outstanding student loans"
- Eligible educators can receive only one award under this program
- The Department of Education will make the loan repayment directly to the eligible educator's lender
HB 9 would also adjust certain licensure and professional development policies:
- The active period of an alternative resident educator license is shortened from four years to two years; these licenses are renewable, with certain exceptions
- Additional resources are allocated to educators for their performance-based assessment:
- The Department of Education must provide educators and their mentors with access to online professional development resources, as well as sample videos of Ohio classroom lessons submitted for the performance-based assessment
- The boards of education for local school districts must provide one day of professional development leave each school year for every teacher employed in their district
- This day is to be used as an observation day in the classroom of a veteran teacher
- This day will be considered a fulfillment of the continuing education requirement for license renewal