Post by blackcrowheart on May 1, 2007 12:15:16 GMT -5
Attracting teachers where need is greatest
Loans pushed for those on
reservations, and math, science teachers BRIAN INDRELUNAS
www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/40350.php
<http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/40350.php> A House committee
endorsed two bills that seek to put more qualified teachers where
lawmakers say they're sorely needed: on American Indian reservations and
in math and science classrooms. The House Higher Education Committee
endorsed the proposed loan programs Tuesday for Arizona residents
pursuing teaching degrees at the state's public universities and
community colleges. HB 2331 would offer loans that students could
repay by teaching at a school on one of Arizona's Indian reservations.
HB 2206 would offer similar benefits to those who teach math, science or
special education in communities facing teacher shortages. In both
bills, each year of full-time teaching would pay off one year's worth of
loans. Rep. Albert Tom, D-Chambers, said he introduced HB 2331 on
behalf of teachers in his district, which includes most of the Navajo,
Hopi, Hualapai and Havasupai reservations. "It's a matter of survival
out there financially," he said. "A lot of them can't make it out there
because it's low salaries. They were having problems paying back their
tuition, their loans." Leland Leonard, executive staff assistant in the
Navajo Nation Office of the president and vice president, traveled to
Phoenix to voice the tribe's support. The bill also is supported by the
Arizona Education Association and the Hopi Tribe. All nine committee
members present voted to endorse the bill. The committee endorsed HB
2206 as well, a bill introduced by Rep. David Schapira, D-Tempe, that
would establish a similar loan program to attract teachers to math and
science classrooms in areas experiencing a teacher shortage. The
original bill just required that recipients teach in areas facing a
shortage to pay off the loan. Rep. Mark Anderson, R-Mesa, authored an
amendment that requires recipients to teach math, science or special
education to repay the loan. The committee voted 8-0 to endorse the
bill. Schapira's bill, which would set aside $3.5 million for up to 300
loans in its first year, garnered support from the Arizona Students'
Association and the Arizona Education Association. Arizona State
University student Aaron Thuringer, 22, spoke for the bill. He told
lawmakers that schools would get more math and science teachers while
universities could attract more education students. Thuringer graduated
in December with an interdisciplinary-studies degree in business and
history. This month, he started work on an education degree and said he
hopes to teach high school social studies.
Loans pushed for those on
reservations, and math, science teachers BRIAN INDRELUNAS
www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/40350.php
<http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/40350.php> A House committee
endorsed two bills that seek to put more qualified teachers where
lawmakers say they're sorely needed: on American Indian reservations and
in math and science classrooms. The House Higher Education Committee
endorsed the proposed loan programs Tuesday for Arizona residents
pursuing teaching degrees at the state's public universities and
community colleges. HB 2331 would offer loans that students could
repay by teaching at a school on one of Arizona's Indian reservations.
HB 2206 would offer similar benefits to those who teach math, science or
special education in communities facing teacher shortages. In both
bills, each year of full-time teaching would pay off one year's worth of
loans. Rep. Albert Tom, D-Chambers, said he introduced HB 2331 on
behalf of teachers in his district, which includes most of the Navajo,
Hopi, Hualapai and Havasupai reservations. "It's a matter of survival
out there financially," he said. "A lot of them can't make it out there
because it's low salaries. They were having problems paying back their
tuition, their loans." Leland Leonard, executive staff assistant in the
Navajo Nation Office of the president and vice president, traveled to
Phoenix to voice the tribe's support. The bill also is supported by the
Arizona Education Association and the Hopi Tribe. All nine committee
members present voted to endorse the bill. The committee endorsed HB
2206 as well, a bill introduced by Rep. David Schapira, D-Tempe, that
would establish a similar loan program to attract teachers to math and
science classrooms in areas experiencing a teacher shortage. The
original bill just required that recipients teach in areas facing a
shortage to pay off the loan. Rep. Mark Anderson, R-Mesa, authored an
amendment that requires recipients to teach math, science or special
education to repay the loan. The committee voted 8-0 to endorse the
bill. Schapira's bill, which would set aside $3.5 million for up to 300
loans in its first year, garnered support from the Arizona Students'
Association and the Arizona Education Association. Arizona State
University student Aaron Thuringer, 22, spoke for the bill. He told
lawmakers that schools would get more math and science teachers while
universities could attract more education students. Thuringer graduated
in December with an interdisciplinary-studies degree in business and
history. This month, he started work on an education degree and said he
hopes to teach high school social studies.