By: Bernal H.B. No. 2249       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the establishment of the Texas Teacher Recruitment   Scholarship Program and the Texas Teacher Retention Incentive   Program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding   Subchapter QQ to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER QQ.  TEXAS TEACHER RECRUITMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM          Sec. 61.9970.  SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT.  (a)     The board shall establish and administer, in accordance with this   subchapter and board rules, the Texas Teacher Recruitment   Scholarship Program under which the board provides an annual   conditional scholarship to a student who meets the eligibility   criteria prescribed by Section 61.9972 and is nominated to receive   a scholarship.          (b)  The amount of a scholarship under this subchapter is the   lesser of:                (1)  $40,000 to be disbursed at a rate of $10,000 per   academic year for four academic years; or                (2)  the amount equivalent to tuition and fees for an   academic year for four academic years.          (c)  If a student nominated to receive a scholarship under   this subchapter is awarded a baccalaureate degree prior to   receiving the scholarship in its entirety, any remaining   scholarship shall be used to repay any outstanding student loans.          Sec. 61.9971.  REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The board   shall provide in accordance with this subchapter and board rules,   assistance in the repayment of student loans for certified teachers   who are entitled to assistance under Section 61.9970(c).          Sec. 61.9972.  ELIGIBILITY; NOMINATION AND SELECTION.  (a)     To receive an initial scholarship under this subchapter, a student   must:                (1)  be enrolled in a public or private institution of   higher education in this state;                (2)  enroll in a university sponsored teacher   preparation program;                (3)  be nominated to receive a scholarship by the   university in which the student is enrolled; and                (4)  enter into an agreement with the board under   Section 61.9973.          (b)  In each year, the number of new students awarded a   scholarship shall not exceed 2 percent of the current teacher   workforce as reported by the Texas Education Agency.          (c)  For a student to continue to receive a scholarship   awarded under this subchapter, the student must maintain   satisfactory academic progress as determined by the institution in   which the student is enrolled.          Sec. 61.9973.  AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  To receive a   scholarship under this subchapter, a student must enter into an   agreement with the board as provided by this section.  The agreement   must require the student to:                (1)  complete a university sponsored teacher   preparation program;                (2)  satisfactorily complete the requirements   necessary to obtain a teacher certification;                (3)  graduate not later than five years after the date   the student first enrolls in a public or private institution of   higher education in this state;                (4)  after graduation, enter into a contract with a   school district or open-enrollment charter school to serve as a   teacher for four years; and                (5)  agree to repay the scholarship if the student:                      (A)  fails to maintain satisfactory academic   progress;                      (B)  withdraws from the scholarship program; or                      (C)  fails to fulfill a commitment described by   Subdivision (4).          (b)  The board shall adopt rules to exempt a student from the   repayment of a scholarship under an agreement entered into under   this section if the student is unable to meet the obligations of the   agreement as a result of extraordinary circumstances.          Sec. 61.9974.  RULES.  (a) The board shall adopt rules as   necessary for the administration of this subchapter, including   rules regarding the eligibility criteria and the selection of   scholarship recipients.          Sec. 61.9975.  LIMITATION ON SCHOLARSHIP. A person may not   receive a scholarship under this subchapter after earning a   cumulative total of 150 credit hours or after being awarded a   baccalaureate degree, whichever occurs first.          Sec. 61.9976.  FUNDING.  The board shall administer this   subchapter using available appropriations and gifts, grants, and   donations made for the purposes of this subchapter.          SECTION 2.  Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding   Subchapter R to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER R.  TEXAS TEACHER RETENTION INCENTIVE PROGRAM          Sec. 21.901.  INITIAL ELIGIBILITY.  A person is eligible for   this program if they are currently:                (1)  a certified teacher employed by a school district   or open-enrollment charter school; and                (2)  not eligible for designation under Section 48.112.          Sec. 21.902.  CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY.  After initially   qualifying for the incentive program under Section 21.901, a person   may continue to receive the award in subsequent years if:          (1)  the individual is employed by the same school district   or open-enrollment charter school in which they were nominated   initially to receive the incentive;          (2)  the individual continues to hold a teacher   certification in good standing with the Texas Education Agency; and          (3)  the individual is not eligible for designation under   Section 48.112.          Sec. 21.903.  AWARD. An eligible person is entitled to   receive an annual retention incentive of $10,000 for a period of   four years.          Sec. 21.904.  NOMINATION. (a)  A school district or   open-enrollment charter school shall determine which individuals   are eligible for nomination.          (b)  an individual may not be nominated if:                (1)  they have already been nominated at their current   or prior school district or open-enrollment charter school and the   current school district or open-enrollment charter school has   eligible individuals, under Section 21.901, who have not been   nominated; or                (2)  they have received a scholarship under Chapter 61,   Subchapter QQ, and their current school district or open-enrollment   charter school has eligible individuals, under Section 21.901, who   have not been nominated.          (c)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school   must nominate annually a number of teachers to receive the award   equal to 8 percent of the teacher workforce as reported by the Texas   Education Agency.          Sec. 21.905.  AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  To receive an   incentive under this subchapter, a teacher must enter into an   agreement with the agency as provided by this section.  The   agreement must require the teacher to:                (1)  be continuously employed by the same school   district or open-enrollment charter school for four years;                (2)  hold a teacher certification in good standing with   the Texas Education Agency; and                (3)  not receive a designation under Section 48.112;                (4)  agree to repay the incentive if the teacher:                      (A)  withdraws from the scholarship program; or                      (B)  fails to fulfill a commitment described by   Subdivisions (1) and (2).          (b)  The agency shall adopt rules to exempt a teacher from   the repayment of an incentive under an agreement entered into under   this section if the teacher is unable to meet the obligations of   the agreement as a result of extraordinary circumstances.          Sec. 21.906.  FUNDING.  The agency shall administer this   subchapter using available appropriations and gifts, grants, and   donations made for the purposes of this subchapter.          SECTION 3.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board   shall award scholarships under Subchapter QQ, Chapter 61, Education   Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the 2026-2027 academic   year.  The coordinating board shall adopt the rules required by   that subchapter as soon as practicable after this Act takes effect.          SECTION 4.  The Texas Education Agency shall award   incentives under Subchapter R, Chapter 21, Education Code, as added   by this Act, beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year. The agency   shall adopt the rules required by that subchapter as soon as   practicable after this Act takes effect.          SECTION 5.  This Act does not make an appropriation.  A   provision in this Act that creates a new governmental program,   creates a new entitlement, or imposes a new duty on a governmental   entity is not mandatory during a fiscal period for which the   legislature has not made a specific appropriation to implement the   provision.          SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.