What's happening
This bill creates the New York Teach Program, offering conditional tuition waivers for accelerated education degrees to increase teachers in underserved districts.
Why it matters
Targets teacher shortages in high-need areas. By requiring recipients to work in “hard to staff” city school districts, the bill directly addresses inequities in teacher distribution, potentially improving educational outcomes where teacher turnover and vacancies are highest.
Creates a clear accountability mechanism. Tuition waivers are “conditional,” meaning if recipients don’t complete their education on time or fail to fulfill their four-year service commitment, the waiver converts into a loan. This encourages follow-through and ensures public investment supports actual classroom teaching.
Prioritizes support for disadvantaged students. Priority for waivers is given to economically disadvantaged applicants, which could help diversify the teaching workforce and provide more equitable access to advanced education and stable careers.
Includes oversight and future adjustment. The bill mandates a review of the program’s effectiveness after ten years—including teacher performance and student outcomes—allowing for the number of waivers to be adjusted based on demonstrated impact. This built-in evaluation helps ensure the program remains effective and accountable.
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Free Tuition for Future Teachers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Free Tuition for Future Teachers
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Nathalia Fernandez
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4063
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 27, 2019
Introduced by Sen. BIAGGI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the "New York Teach Program" conditional tuition waiver
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and be cited as the "New York Teach Program".
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 679-k to read as follows:
§ 679-k. New York teach program. 1. Purpose. The president shall establish a conditional tuition waiver for accelerated five-year bachelor's and master's program in education for eligible public universities for the purpose of increasing the number of teachers serving underserved districts in the state.
2. Eligibility. To be eligible for a conditional tuition waiver pursuant to this section, applicants shall (a) be accepted in an accelerated five-year bachelor's and master's degree program at a public university in the state; (b) sign a contract to agree to teach at their assigned hard to staff city school district for at least four years after graduation; (c) complete the accelerated five-year bachelor's and master's degree program within five years of enrollment; (d) be a New York state resident; and (e) maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average for each academic year enrolled in the program.
3. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the term (a) "eligible public universities" shall mean a public university in New York state with both a bachelor's and master's degree in education; (b) "hard to staff city school districts" shall mean school districts in a city that have a shortage of teachers, as designated by the department; and (c) "accelerated five-year bachelor's and master's program" shall mean
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03978-01-9
S. 4063 2
an academic course of study which allows a student to complete their bachelor's and master's degrees in education in five academic years.
4. Priority. Priority for this conditional tuition waiver shall be given to applicants who are economically disadvantaged as determined by the corporation.
5. Waiver amount determination. The corporation shall grant five thousand conditional waivers pursuant to this subdivision in each of the first ten academic years after the effective date of this subdivision. Upon completion of the ten academic years after the effective date of this subdivision, the corporation shall study the effectiveness of this tuition waiver program. Such study shall include the success rate of participants, including test scores for the students taught by program participants and school administrator reviews of program participants. Upon completion of the study, the corporation shall determine the number of conditional waivers that shall be granted in the academic years thereafter.
6. Assignment of graduates. Prior to graduation, the corporation shall assign students that have been granted a conditional tuition waiver to a hard to staff city school district. The assignment shall be made pursuant to the need for teachers at such school districts. The student shall be eligible to appeal the assigned district and request a specific placement in the case of extenuating circumstances including, but not limited to, an illness in the student's family.
7. Failure to comply. The conditional tuition waiver shall be voided by the corporation, and such person shall owe the tuition amount for the five-year accelerated program to the corporation in the form of an educational loan in the event a person receiving this conditional tuition waiver fails to comply with the requirements of (a) completing the degree program in five academic years; or (b) teaching in their assigned school district for four years.
8. Transfer. A student receiving a conditional tuition waiver pursuant to this section shall be eligible to transfer between eligible public universities without being disqualified from the conditional tuition waiver program. An eligible public university shall allow a student with a conditional tuition waiver pursuant to this section to transfer any credits earned at a different eligible public university.
9. Other financial aid. A student receiving a conditional tuition waiver pursuant to this section shall not be disallowed from receiving any other awards, aid, or scholarships. The waiver shall apply to the remaining tuition balance after any such awards, aid, or scholarships are applied to the tuition balance.
10. Rules and regulations. The corporation is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations and may promulgate emergency regulations necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this section. In the event that there are more applicants who have the same priority, as provided in subdivision four of this section, than there are remaining conditional tuition waivers, the corporation shall provide in regulation the method of distributing the remaining number of such conditional tuition waivers, which may include a lottery or other form of random selection.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the "New York Teach Program" conditional tuition waiver
Purpose of bill
This legislation will establish the New York Teach Program to fund and provide a much needed new wave of young, eligible teachers into the state education system.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1: Short title. This act shall be known and be cited as the "New York Teach Program".
Section 2: The education law is amended by adding a new section 679-k. The state will provide for a tuition waver for an accelerated 5 year master's in education program at eligible public universities. Everyone accepted into the program must complete it within 5 years, maintain a 3.0 average, and spend 4 years teaching at a hard-to-staff school. Priority for the waivers will be given to low-income students. Waivers will be given to 5,000 students for each of the first 10 years, after which a commission will study the impact of the program and deem its continuation. Students who graduate will be assigned to a hard-to-staff school, although they can make requests in extenuating circumstances. Failure to comply with rules will result in the expulsion from the program and a debt to the corporation for the years in the program.
Students will be able to transfer between schools as long as it is with- in the program. Students are also not disallowed from other scholarships and financial aid.
Section 3: This act shall take effective immediately.
Justification
New York State United Teachers - NYSUT - wrote a recent report of a storm brewing in New York. A shortage of teachers, caused by a mix of Baby Boomers reaching retirement age and a lack of new teachers due to economic constraints. The average age of teachers in the state is 48. They have also reported that since 2009-10, enrollment in teacher educa- tion programs in New York has decreased by roughly 49 percent. An esti- mated 10 percent of new teachers are leaving the state for more opportu- nities due to the cumbersome certificate process. This shows, more than anything, that we need a new program to fund and provide teachers to our education system. New York Teach will create a smart way to fund the education of teachers and provide hard to staff schools with young employees who will bring about a positive energy and strong work ethic.
While the program is only a tuition waiver, we do not disallow students from receiving other financial aid such as FAFSA and TAP and we allow for scholarships as well that will be able to go towards room and board. We understand that with the rising cost of higher education, it is important that teachers - who take on teaching the new age of children not be financially burdened because of a broken system. This program will stop the storm that is brewing and provide a way for young, envisioned teachers to take our education system by the reigns.
Legislative history
A11365 of 2018 referred to higher education
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
To be determined
Effective date
This act shall take effective immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.