Legislation would ease teacher shortage
(Story Courtesy of Kentucky Today)
FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Legislation containing several provisions which are designed to ease the teacher shortage in Kentucky, won unanimous approval in the Kentucky House on Friday.
House Bill 377 is sponsored by Rep. Kim Banta, R-Ft. Mitchell, a retired teacher, who described its provisions when presenting it on the House floor.
“This would pay student teachers a stipend of $5,000,” she said. “Teachers would also have an opportunity for loan forgiveness after they graduate. It is for public school teachers once they graduate to work in a public institution.”
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, who is also a teacher, thanked Banta for sponsoring the bill. She mentioned remarks made by Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Marty Polio before a legislative committee.
“He called for us to do three things: get more teachers in the seats and keep them there, get more bus drivers and get our students to school,” Bojanowski said. “This bill directly impacts getting more teachers in the seats and supporting them when they get there, so I fully support this bill.”
The vote on the bill was 87-0,