HF 3735 Summary

• Establishes a District Employee Career Advancement Grant Program providing grants to help district employees attain teaching licenses, additional subject area licenses in shortage areas, master's degrees in core academic subjects, or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, with recipients required to work in the district for three years after obtaining their credential.

• Creates three new tax credits for teachers: 50% credit for educator classroom expenses, 75% credit (up to $3,000) for tuition and fees related to teacher licensure and professional development programs, and 50% credit for student loan payments made under income-driven repayment plans.

• Requires school boards to report annually on the number of non-Caucasian and underrepresented licensed teachers, community experts providing instruction, testing schedules, and prekindergarten through grade 6 class sizes effective 2016-2017 school year.

• Establishes caseload maximums of 75 units for special education professionals effective July 1, 2017, with compensation requirements for exceeding the maximum and provisions for part-time adjustments.

• Requires the Commissioner of Education to survey districts and report to legislature biennially on teacher shortages, substitute teacher shortages, early retirement patterns, and diversity data among licensed teachers by subject area and economic development region.