| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Negative | Neutral |
Relating to student loan repayment assistance under the math and science scholars loan repayment program.
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
SB 1757 would lower the grade point average required to be eligible for loan repayment assistance through the Math and Science Scholars program from 3.5 to 3.0. This bill also changes how many years are required to teach after a four-year commitment, leaving it up for the Higher Education Coordinating Board to determine.
Texas Action opposes SB 1757 because it infringes on the principle of limited government. We generally oppose these types of programs because it is not the proper role of government to repay an individuals' student loans with taxpayer funds. However, so long as the program already exists we should not lower the standards just to get more teachers into the program. That will not necessarily serve students any better than the status quo. If the program is going to continue to exist, it would be better to retain high standards and do a better job of getting more prospective teachers to apply.