ND SB2270

Superintendent of Public Instruction shall establish a student teacher experience program providing grants to incentivize licensed teachers to remain in North Dakota.

Grants equal $200 per week of student teaching, or $400 per week if placed in a rural school district (defined as counties with population of 16,000 or fewer, cities with 5,000 or fewer, or districts with fewer than 600 average daily membership).

Grants are provided to program participants who enter employment contracts with North Dakota public school districts within two years of graduation.

Placement preference given to rural school districts, districts with high numbers of unfilled or irregularly filled teaching positions, and districts with unfilled positions in special education, secondary mathematics, and secondary science.

Rural school district boards must ensure housing is available for student teacher participants within reasonable distance from placement school; districts may provide housing stipends but state will not reimburse these costs.