KRS 164.773: Student Teacher Stipend Program -- Definitions -- Procedures --

Reporting requirements.

(1) The General Assembly hereby establishes the Student Teacher Stipend Program to

reduce financial barriers to students in completing educator preparatio n programs

and entering the educator workforce.

(2) As used in this section:

(a) "Academic term" means a fall or spring academic semester;

(b) "Approved educator preparation program" means a program approved by the

Education Professional Standards Board fo r the preparation of teachers and

other professional school personnel;

(c) "Authority" means the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority;

(d) "Eligible student" means a student who:

1. Is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States;

2. Is a Kentucky resident as determined by the authority;

3. Is enrolled in an approved educator preparation program at a

participating institution;

4. Is approved for student teaching by the participating institution;

5. Is student teaching at a Kentucky public school or nonpublic school

certified by the Kentucky Board of Education under KRS 156.160,

except as provided in subsection (7) of this section;

6. Has not previously received a student teacher stipend under this se ction;

and

7. Meets any other criteria established in administrative regulation

promulgated by the authority;

(e) "Participating institution" means an institution of higher education located in

Kentucky that offers an approved educator preparation program and executes

an agreement with the authority on terms the authority deems necessary or

appropriate for the administration of the Student Teacher Stipend Program;

and

(f) "Student teacher" has the same meaning as in KRS 161.010.

(3) The Kentucky Higher Educ ation Assistance Authority shall administer the Student

Teacher Stipend Program and shall promulgate administrative regulations in

accordance with KRS Chapter 13A as may be needed for administration of the

program.

(4) (a) Beginning with the 2024 -2025 acad emic year, to the extent funds are

available, the authority may award a student teacher stipend of up to five

thousand dollars ($5,000) to an eligible student during the academic term in

which the student is a student teacher.

(b) If funds are not sufficie nt to award stipends to all eligible students, awards

shall be determined in accordance with administrative regulations

promulgated by the authority.

(5) For each academic term, by the deadline established by the authority, a participating

institution shal l submit to the authority a report of all eligible students for that

academic term. The authority shall disburse stipend funds to eligible students

directly or through the participating institution, in accordance with the distribution

process determined by the authority.

(6) The participating institution shall notify the authority within five (5) days of the

withdrawal of a previously eligible student from the program and no additional

distributions shall be made to or on behalf of the student.

(7) The authority may establish criteria for approving a student teacher stipend for a

student who is student teaching outside of Kentucky but is otherwise an eligible

student under subsection (2)(d) of this section.

(8) Funds awarded to an eligible student under this section shall not be considered

student financial aid in the year the funds are received.

(9) By November 1, 2025, and each November 1 thereafter, the authority shall submit a

report to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint

Committee on Education on the utilization and effectiveness of the Student Teacher

Stipend Program. The Kentucky Center for Statistics shall assist in developing the

report which shall include but not be limited to:

(a) The total number of eligible studen ts and stipend recipients, and the total

award amount by participating institution and program;

(b) The demographic data of stipend recipients, including but not limited to:

1. School district of high school graduation;

2. County and city of residence prior to postsecondary enrollment;

3. The participating institution in which the eligible student is enrolled

while a student teacher; and

4. The school and district in which the eligible student is a student teacher;

and

(c) The data correlation between stipe nd recipients and nonrecipients entering

and remaining in the educator workforce, including but not limited to student

teaching location and teaching position location.