Section 16-5-54 - Applicant requirements(a) To be eligible for the base program of three thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($3,750) per semester for math and science teachers and one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per semester for computer science teachers, an applicant shall satisfy all of the following:(1) Be a graduate of a State Board of Education approved program in math, science, or computer science, at the baccalaureate or master's level after the 2018 spring semester term from an approved Alabama institution and hold an initial middle level or secondary professional educator certificate endorsed in math, science, or computer science that was issued based upon completion of the approved program in math, science, or computer science. A teacher who only earns a passing score on the Praxis test in math, science, or computer science to add a certificate endorsement for math, science, or computer science, and who has not completed an entire approved program, does not satisfy this requirement.(2) Holds a valid Alabama professional educator certificate endorsed in middle level or secondary math, science, or computer science, or any combination of the three.(3) Teaches a schedule in which at least three-fourths of the full-time teaching load is comprised of math, science, or computer science in an Alabama public school system.(4) Is a citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States.(5) Is a resident of Alabama and provides documentation proving a permanent connection to the State of Alabama. The commission shall accept any one of the following as proof of residency:a. A current valid Alabama driver license.b. A current valid Alabama vehicle registration.c. A current valid Alabama voter registration card.(6) Has outstanding federal student loans, subsidized or unsubsidized.(7) Satisfies additional continuing eligibility criteria established by the commission.(b) In order to receive an additional supplement pursuant to this article, in addition to the criteria listed in subsection (a), a recipient shall also teach math, science, or computer science, or any combination of the three, in a public school system within the state with an acute teacher shortage in math, science, or computer science, or any combination of the three, for which the teacher is properly certified, as identified by the commission in consultation with the Alabama State Department of Education or in a school that has been designated as a failing school, or any other term adopted to identify an underperforming school, by the Alabama State Board of Education or the Legislature.Ala. Code § 16-5-54 (1975)
Amended by Act 2022-396,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2022.Amended by Act 2021-389,§ 1, eff. 8/1/2021.Added by Act 2018-504,§ 5, eff. 7/1/2018.