Read 1st time February 1, 2000, and 1000 copies ordered printed.
ANNE C. WALKER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 168, RSMo, relating to teachers, by adding thereto one new section relating to encouraging paraprofessional teaching assistants to become teachers.
Section A. Chapter 168, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 168.690, to read as follows:
168.690. 1. The department of elementary and secondary education and the department of higher education shall develop a program to provide paraprofessional teaching assistants with the courses necessary to achieve professional teacher certification through the University of Missouri, state universities, state colleges and community colleges.
2. Any paraprofessional teaching assistant seeking to achieve professional teacher certification through a program developed pursuant to subsection 1 of this section, who works in a high population density, low economic condition urban school district or in a low population density, low economic condition rural school district, as identified by the state board of education, and who agrees to teach for at least five years in such district upon obtaining professional teacher certification shall be given preference in approval for any loan program or forgivable loan program created pursuant to sections 168.550 to 168.600.
3. The department of elementary and secondary education and the department of higher education shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section.
4. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to the authority of this section shall become effective unless
it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo.
Missouri House of Representatives