gram allowing individuals, such as those currently in the 
education field, to complete a bachelor’s degree with a 
State license or certification to teach. Such proposals shall 
include— 
‘‘(1) identification of specific, rigorous criteria 
to be used in selecting Partnership Fellows, includ-
ing outstanding service to school-age children, a firm 
commitment to the field of education, and aptitude 
to succeed as a teacher; 
‘‘(2) designation of a full-time faculty member 
or administrator to serve as the local or regional 
Partnership Program director or coordinator and to 
work closely with the State agency director to ad-
minister the program and create and execute the 
extra-curricular enrichment programs; 
‘‘(3) mandatory extra-curricular enrichment 
programs and activities as part of the State’s Fel-
lows Program that— 
‘‘(A) are designed to motivate students to 
become career educators; 
‘‘(B) provide Fellows with a multidisci-
plinary education; 
‘‘(C) are offered regularly during each year 
of schooling (including during intervals between 
periods of enrollment); and
‘‘(D) expose Fellows to the State’s busi-
ness, political, demographic, cultural, and eco-
nomic climate and help Fellows develop leader-
ship qualities; 
‘‘(4) a specific description of how the proposed 
Partnership Program will provide individuals in 
rural or underserved communities access to the cur-
riculum and extracurricular opportunities created by 
the Partnership Program; 
‘‘(5) a description of how the program will ac-
commodate Partnership Fellows who must maintain 
employment while pursuing a degree, whether via 
distance learning methods, evening and weekend 
programs, minimum credit requirements, or other 
programs; 
‘‘(6) a description of how the program will as-
sist Partnership Fellows in accordance with sub-
section (d)(4) during the period of student teaching 
should they be otherwise financially unable to com-
plete such a requirement; and 
‘‘(7) an itemized account of how the funds will 
be allocated to best achieve the goals of the Partner-
ship Program. 
‘‘(f) CONVERSION TO LOAN.—
‘‘(1) OBLIGATION TO REPAY.—The Partnership 
Program shall require that a Partnership Fellow 
agree to repay a pro rata amount, as determined by 
the State agency, of the scholarship received from 
the Partnership Program, and to pay interest on 
such pro rata amount at an annual rate of 10 per-
cent until such pro rata amount is repaid, if the re-
cipient fails to comply with one of the following: 
‘‘(A) Within 7 years after graduation the 
recipient of the scholarship teaches for 4 years 
at a public school. 
‘‘(B) Within 7 years after graduation the 
recipient teaches for 3 consecutive years, unless 
the recipient takes an approved leave of ab-
sence, at a public school that at the time the re-
cipient accepts employment is a low-performing 
school, as defined by State educational agency 
or the Secretary of Education. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not 
apply if the State agency finds that it is impossible 
for the recipient to teach for 4 years, within 7 years 
after the recipient graduates, at a public school be-
cause of the death or permanent disability of the re-
cipient.
‘‘(g) REVOLVING FUNDING.—Any funds repaid by a 
Teaching Fellow pursuant to subsection (f), together with 
any interest thereon, may be retained by the State agency 
for making available additional scholarships under this 
section, and for paying costs related to the disbursement 
of awards and the collection of payments under subsection 
(f). 
‘‘(h) FUNDS.—There is authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this section $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 
and such sums as necessary for the 4 succeeding fiscal 
years. 
‘‘(i) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section: 
‘‘(1) PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.—the term ‘Part-
nership Program’ means the program established 
under this section. 
‘‘(2) 
PARTNERSHIP
FELLOWS.—The 
term 
‘Partnership Fellow’ means an individual selected 
for an award of financial assistance under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(3) STATE.—The term ‘State’ includes the 
several States, the District of Columbia, and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
‘‘(4) STATE AGENCY.—The term ‘State agency’ 
means the agency designated pursuant to subsection 
(c)(1).’’. 
Æ