SB 956 Summary

• Allocates $5,000,000 from the Workforce Investment Act state reserve to school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools on a competitive basis for teacher retraining programs

• Funds intensive examination preparation courses to help laid-off and out-of-field teachers meet subject matter competency requirements in science, mathematics, or industrial and technology education

• Establishes priority system giving first preference to retraining laid-off teachers for science or mathematics credentials, with second priority for displaced teachers working outside their field of expertise

• Requires schools receiving funds to reimburse teachers who successfully pass subject matter examinations and obtain credentials for exam costs and Commission on Teacher Credentialing fees

• Requires funding allocation be contingent on legislative appropriation and compliance with federal Workforce Investment Act requirements