Section 16-6A-15

Tuition grant program for certified teachers; limitations on tuition reimbursement; letter of commitment; withholding records upon failure to satisfy agreement.

The Alabama Commission on Higher Education shall implement a tuition grant program for certified teachers. Tuition grants in institutions of higher education for adding mathematics, science, computer education or other critical needs areas to their certificates shall be provided to able teachers certified in subject areas not designated critical needs areas. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education shall adopt rules to implement the mathematics, science, computer education or other critical needs areas tuition reimbursement program. Any full-time regularly certified public school teacher in Alabama shall be eligible for this program. Tuition reimbursement shall be limited to courses in mathematics, science, computer education or other critical areas as determined by the board. Such courses shall be graduate level courses leading to a new certification area or approved undergraduate courses leading to a new certification area. Participants may receive tuition reimbursements not to exceed 36 semester or 54 quarter hours in an approved teacher education program in Alabama; such reimbursement shall not exceed $4,000.00 per annum. All reimbursements will be contingent on the participant's maintaining a B average on all work attempted. Teachers participating in the tuition reimbursement program shall be eligible for all summer programs and other programs and incentives open to mathematics, science and computer education teachers. Each tuition reimbursement recipient must sign a letter of commitment to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education agreeing that upon the completion of coursework required for certification in a critical needs area, he will teach two full years of secondary mathematics, science, computer education or other critical needs area for each full academic year the grant is received. The Executive Director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education shall require Alabama institutions of higher education to withhold the release of any records of a recipient who fails to satisfy his agreement with the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.

(Acts 1984, No. 84-622, p. 1260, §15.)