FL H0757

Creates the Teacher Scholarship Program within the Department of Education to encourage academically excellent students to pursue teaching careers through scholarships for upper-division undergraduate and graduate study.

Undergraduate applicants must be full-time students in approved teacher-preparation programs with SAT scores at the 80th percentile (or concordant ACT score) and maintain a minimum 3.25 GPA.

Graduate applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, be enrolled full-time in eligible master's, specialist, or doctoral teacher education programs, and cannot have previously received an undergraduate education degree or this scholarship.

Undergraduate students may receive up to $5,000 per semester ($10,000 per year) for 2 years or up to 3 years for five-year certification programs; graduate students may receive the same amounts for up to 2 years.

Recipients who complete their teacher education program and complete their first year of employment as a classroom teacher at a Florida public school receive a one-time $10,000 stipend, with prorated amounts for those hired after the first academic quarter; the act takes effect July 1, 2018.