Senate Bill 74 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Donnie ChesteenSenator

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Alabama Math and Science Teacher Education Program (AMSTEP), renamed the Loan Assistance in Support of Educators in Alabama (LASEA) Program; providing loan assistance in acute educator shortage programs as determined by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the State Department of Education and the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services

Summary

SB74 renames AMSTEP to LASEA and broadens and strengthens Alabama’s educator loan-repayment program to cover acute shortages, with new eligibility rules, accountability requirements, and a 2026 effective date.

What This Bill Does

The bill changes the program name to LASEA and expands eligibility to teachers certified in programs identified as having acute educator shortages. It tasks the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, with input from the State Department of Education, to identify shortage programs, schools, and locations and to develop an accountability and evaluation plan. It adds base and supplemental loan-repayment amounts for math, science, and computer science teachers, with higher total payments for math/science in shortage areas and additional shortage supplements, while phasing in rules for eligibility, residency, and funding. It repeals a prior requirement tied to alternative-certification documentation and sets August 1, 2026 as the act’s effective date.

Who It Affects

• Public K-12 math, science, and computer science teachers in Alabama who hold the proper certificate and work in designated acute shortage locations (including many in traditional public schools and some charter schools for base eligibility).
• Public school districts, charter schools, and state agencies (ACHE and SDE) that administer, designate shortage locations, and oversee funding and accountability for the LASEA program.

Key Provisions

• Renames the Alabama Math and Science Teacher Education Program (AMSTEP) to the Loan Assistance in Support of Educators in Alabama (LASEA) Program and clarifies its purpose.
• Expands eligibility to include educators certified in programs identified as having acute educator shortages and provides additional loan assistance if those educators teach in public K-12 schools or in acute-shortage locations.
• Gives ACHE, in consultation with SDE and the Evaluation of Services, authority to determine which programs and districts have shortages and to develop an accountability/evaluation plan for the program; adds eligibility rules for continuously employed recipients.
• Defines acute educator shortage and shortage locations and sets criteria for approved institutions and for personnel who may participate, including charter school provisions (charter teachers eligible for base, but not the shortage-area supplement).
• Sets two levels of loan repayment: base payments (math/science up to $7,500/year or $3,750/semester; computer science up to $3,000/year or $1,500/semester; up to four years) and supplemental payments (up to $3,000/year or $1,500/semester for shortage locations; with additional shortage supplements: math/science +$2,500/year ($1,250/semester); computer science +$1,000/year ($500/semester)).
• Requires annual eligibility reapplication, two per-year disbursements, verification of teaching service, and adjustment if award exceeds loan balance; funds are contingent on available funding and are nonreverting.
• Repeals Section 16-5-54.2 (documentation requirements for individuals who received loan repayments via alternative certification programs).
• Adds sections to require an accountability and evaluation plan (16-5-53.1) and to preserve eligibility for those who received loans prior to August 1, 2026 (16-5-53.2).
• Effective date set for August 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education