Sec. 56.504.  INITIAL STUDENT ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIP.  (a)  To be eligible initially for a scholarship under the scholarship program, a person must:
(1)  be a Texas resident under Section 54.052;
(2)  either:
(A)  be enrolled full-time in an eligible institution; or
(B)  have applied for admission to an eligible institution and enroll full-time in that institution in the academic year immediately following the person's application;
(3)  once enrolled full-time in an eligible institution, be working toward a baccalaureate or master's degree and on track to be admitted to an eligible educator preparation program, as verified by the eligible institution operating the educator preparation program;
(4)  demonstrate a commitment to pursuing a career as a classroom teacher in a public school in this state:
(A)  in a teaching field identified by the commissioner of education as experiencing a critical shortage of teachers in this state; or
(B)  in a public school in this state in which a majority of students enrolled are educationally disadvantaged;
(5)  comply with Section 28.0256;
(6)  complete a criminal history background check from:
(A)  any law enforcement or criminal justice agency; or
(B)  a private entity that is a consumer reporting agency governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. Section 1681 et seq.);
(7)  provide the educator preparation program with the completed background check report and any supplemental documentation the program may request to evaluate the background check report for the purposes of this section; and
(8)  comply with any other academic or nonacademic requirements adopted by the coordinating board under this subchapter.
(b)  A person is not eligible to receive a scholarship under the scholarship program if the person has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor offense relating to the duties and responsibilities of the education profession, including:
(1)  an offense involving moral turpitude;
(2)  an offense involving a form of sexual or physical abuse of a minor or student or other illegal conduct in which the victim is a minor or student;
(3)  a felony offense involving the possession, transfer, sale, or distribution of or conspiracy to possess, transfer, sell, or distribute a controlled substance, as defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or by 21 U.S.C. Section 801 et seq.;
(4)  an offense involving the illegal transfer, appropriation, or use of school district funds or other district property; or
(5)  an offense involving an attempt by fraudulent or unauthorized means to obtain or alter a professional certificate or license issued under Subchapter B, Chapter 21.
(c)  An educator preparation program shall review the background check documentation provided under Subsection (a)(7) for the purposes of making a determination under Subsection (b).
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 877 (H.B. 4363), Sec. 1, eff. June 13, 2023.