S.5512 (LaValle) / A.7727 (Fahy)

STAFF CONTACT :

518.465.7511

BILL

S.5512 (LaValle) / A.7727 (Fahy)

SUBJECT

Relates to the New York state masters-in-education teacher incentive scholarship program

DATE

Support

The Business Council supports this legislation, which would provide access to New York State Masters-in-Education Teacher Incentive Scholarship program awards to students at all non-profit, degree-granting colleges in New York. The bill would also align this program with other state scholarship initiatives, which offer awards equal to annual tuition charged to in-state residents attending programs at SUNY or actual tuition charged, whichever is less.

The SFY 2015-16 enacted budget included a provision to provide full tuition awards for 500 students in graduate education programs at SUNY or CUNY who: earned an undergraduate degree from an institution of higher education in New York, resided in New York while earning the degree, achieved “academic excellence” as defined by the Higher Education Services Corporation and agree to teach in New York for five years on a full-time basis after graduating.

According to the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, independent colleges confer 61 percent of B.A. and graduate education degrees in New York.

It is important for our state to utilize all of its world-class colleges and universities—both public and private—in order to ensure the state is retaining the best and brightest teachers under this incentive scholarship program, particularly as the state continues to implement the Common Core standards.

For these reasons, The Business Council supports this legislation and urges the Legislature to support it as well.