Beginning in school year 2001-2002, to To obtain the data necessary for establishing critical teacher shortage areas, an annual survey of instructional personnel and administrative personnel licensed by the Board of Education shall be conducted as follows:

1. The Department of Education shall be responsible for the administration of the annual survey and shall:

a. Distribute to each local school division an annual survey of instructional and administrative personnel for the purpose of determining critical teacher shortages. The department may distribute the survey through electronic means; and

b. Post the results of the survey in a manner that will permit access by local school divisions, approved teacher preparation programs, other state agencies, and the public through an electronic process.

2. Each local school division shall be required to submit a completed survey within the timeframe established by the department. If the survey is distributed through electronic means, then the survey shall be completed and submitted to the department through electronic means as identified by the department.

3. To obtain information about the differences in the supply and demand among Virginia school divisions, the survey will require, but will not be limited to, the following data:

a. Number of teaching positions by subject area;

b. Number of teaching positions by endorsement (teaching) area; number of teaching positions not filled by endorsement area; and number of teaching positions filled without the appropriate teaching endorsement;

c. Number of teachers employed without a regular five-year ten-year renewable license for their teaching assignment; and

d. Number of teaching position vacancies for which a school division receives three or fewer qualified candidates (licensed or eligible for a license).

A. Each school board shall report to the Department of Education annually the number and type of teacher, other instructional personnel, and support staff vacancies in the school division.

A.B. Utilize the data collected through the annual survey to establish critical teacher shortage areas as follows:

1. Shortages by subject matter will be designated from the top 10 academic disciplines identified as having shortages through the superintendent's annual survey of school divisions.

2. In addition to the top 10 academic disciplines identified statewide, school divisions may designate a subject area as having a shortage if the school division receives three or fewer qualified candidates (licensed or eligible for a license) for any teaching vacancy for that subject area.

3. Any Virginia school division, including rural or urban school divisions, where 10% of the teachers are not fully licensed for their teaching assignment may be designated as a geographic critical shortage area.

B.C. For the purpose of administering the Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program, an individual may meet the teaching obligation, regardless of teaching discipline, by agreeing to teach in a school with a high concentration (50% or more) of students eligible for free or reduced lunch.

A. Annually, the teacher preparation institutions in Virginia that have approved teacher preparation programs shall be invited to nominate individuals to receive loans through the Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program subject to available appropriations. pursuant to § 22.1-290.01 of the Code of Virginia.

B. The Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program shall consist of scholarships awarded annually to teacher candidates, including graduate students and paraprofessionals from Virginia school divisions at a regionallyan accredited public or private four-year institution of higher education in the Commonwealth baccalaureate private institution of higher education in the Commonwealth or baccalaureate public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth, who (i) are enrolled full time or part time in an approved teacher education program or are participants in another approved teacher education program; (ii) have maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.7 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent; and (iii) are nominated for such scholarship by the institution where they are enrolled. In addition, the candidates must meet one or more of the following criteria: (a) be enrolled in a program leading to an endorsement in a critical shortage area as established by the Board of Education; (b) be a male teacher candidate in an elementary or middle school education program; (c) be a minority teacher candidate enrolled in any teacher endorsement area; or (d) be a student in an approved teacher education program leading to an endorsement in career and technical education.

C. A selection panel appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction may be convened if the number of Teacher Education Program recommendations for scholarships exceed the appropriations. The panel shall select recipients for the teaching scholarship loan from the eligible applicants. Efforts should be made to have an appropriate distribution of scholarships among the identified critical teacher shortage areas.