HB 0662

HB 662-FN - AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT establishing the New Hampshire volunteer elementary teachers and students program.

SPONSORS: Rep. W. Field, Merr 36; Rep. D. Fields, Hills 58; Rep. Boyce, Belk 31; Rep. Maybeck, Graf 16; Rep. Ahern, Belk 29; Sen. Peterson, Dist 11

This bill establishes the New Hampshire volunteer elementary teachers and students program within the department of education which allows interested and qualified individuals to team teach students in elementary school.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

AN ACT establishing the New Hampshire volunteer elementary teachers and students program.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Subdivision; Volunteer Elementary Teachers and Students Program. Amend RSA 193 by inserting after section 37 the following new subdivision:

I. There is hereby established the New Hampshire volunteer elementary teachers and students program ("VETS") within the department of education which shall be implemented within the school districts of this state. The program shall operate under the supervision and control of the commissioner of the department of education in joint cooperation with the board of trustees of the university system of New Hampshire. The VETS program shall be comprised of any qualified individual interested in participating. The VETS program shall be designed to increase the number of teachers in each classroom available to team teach elementary school students by engaging any interested and qualified citizen to participate in the education through team teaching of elementary school children under the supervision of a credentialed teacher. Citizens who participate in the VETS program may earn course credit for the time spent teaching. The sum of $1 per fiscal year shall be paid to each VETS program participant. Such sum shall be appropriated from the general fund.

II. VETS program participants shall be exempt from certification and credentialing standards for educational personnel established in RSA 21-N:9 and RSA 186:11 and shall be deemed to be qualified to teach for the purposes of the VETS program.

III. The commissioner of the department of education shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to the implementation of this program. Such rules, at a minimum, shall include the following:

(a) Procedures for establishing deadlines and creating appropriate forms for making an application to join the VETS program.

(b) Procedures for establishing a curriculum and making classroom assignments for supervising teachers and VETS program participants.

(d) Procedures for allowing high school students who participate in the VETS program to earn high school and college course credit for their participation.

193:39 Report. No later than November 1 of each year, the commissioner of the department of education shall submit a report to the house and senate education committees detailing the status and activities of the VETS programs during the year as set forth in this subdivision.

2 New Section; University System; Participation in the Volunteer Elementary Teachers and Students Program. Amend RSA 187-A by inserting after section 10-a the following new section:

187-A:10-b Participation in the Volunteer Elementary Teachers and Students Program. Each component institution within the university system shall offer course credit at no charge, to be determined by the institution and at no charge, to any qualified citizen who participates in the volunteer elementary teachers and students program as set forth in RSA 193:38.

AN ACT establishing the New Hampshire volunteer elementary teachers and students program

Due to time constraints, the Office of Legislative Budget Assistant is unable to provide a fiscal note for this bill at this time. When completed, the fiscal note will be forwarded to the House Clerk's Office.