HB 89 Summary

• Establishes the Mississippi English Language Learners Scholarship Program to recruit and educate Hispanic or Latino resident students to teach in areas with significant English Language Learner populations.

• Limits scholarship eligibility to Hispanic or Latino Mississippi residents enrolled in or accepted into bachelor's or master's degree programs in elementary, secondary, or special education at public or private institutions within the state.

• Annual scholarship awards equal the total cost of tuition, materials, and fees; recipients must complete a five-year service obligation teaching in designated critical need areas as a licensed teacher.

• Caps program enrollment at ten students per cohort annually beginning in 2020-2021 academic year and incorporates the program into the existing Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program.

• Exempts English Language Learners Scholarship recipients from the teacher candidate minimum academic requirements (21 ACT or Praxis Core score and 2.75 GPA) otherwise required for licensure eligibility.