<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="ged" article_name="Education" number="6-131" title_number="6" title_name="Teachers and Other Personnel" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Personnel Matters">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “Grant” means the Maryland Teacher Relocation Incentive Grant.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>There is a Maryland Teacher Relocation Incentive Grant.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The purpose of the Grant is to provide up to $2,000  to incentivize an out–of–state licensed teacher to move to the State  in order to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Address the State’s teacher workforce shortage; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Reduce the number of conditionally licensed teachers in classrooms.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Department shall administer the Grant.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Grants may not be awarded after June 30, 2029.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A county board may submit a proposal to the Department to receive a grant for a candidate.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>To be eligible for a grant, a candidate shall:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Have a signed contract to teach in a public school in the State;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Be recognized as a licensed teacher in a public kindergarten, elementary, middle, or high school in another state to provide instruction in a specific subject area, grade level, or for a specific student population;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>Hold an unencumbered license that is not restricted, probationary, provisional, temporary, or in any way serves as a substitute for fully licensed teachers in another state; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>Agree to teach in a school that has received funding under § 5–223 of this article for at least 2 years after receiving the grant.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An application shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A copy of the teacher’s license held by the candidate;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A copy of the signed contract between the candidate and the county board; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Any other information required by the Department.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Department shall establish processes and procedures for accepting and evaluating applications.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>On or before October 1, 2025, the Department shall make initial grant awards.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>On or before December 30, 2029, the Department shall submit a report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on the implementation of the grant awards, including the following information:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The number of grant applications received;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The number of grants awarded; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The number of out–of–state teachers recruited to the State after the implementation of the Grant.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
