(a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2)    “Alternative teacher preparation program” means a program established by a county board and approved by the State Superintendent that:

(i)    Leads to a participant receiving a Resident Teacher Certificate issued by the Department; and

(ii)    Includes teaching assignments with supervision and mentoring by a qualified teacher.

(3)    “Program” means the Maryland Alternative Teaching Opportunity Program.

(4)    “Qualified candidate” means a teaching candidate who:

(i)    Is enrolled in an alternative teacher preparation program;

(ii)    Intends to teach in a public school in the State in the field of:

1.    Science;

2.    Mathematics; or

3.    Special education;

(iii)    Has made a commitment to a local board to teach in a public school for at least 3 years; and

(iv)    Participates in a preresidency internship program for a period of 4 to 8 weeks on or after January 1, 2007.

(b)    (1)    There is a Maryland Alternative Teaching Opportunity Program in the Department.

(2)    The purpose of the Program is to encourage the use of alternative teacher preparation programs to meet the demand for qualified teachers in science, mathematics, and special education.

(c)    (1)    A county board may apply to the Department to participate in the Program.

(2)    When selecting participants, the Department shall take into account:

(i)    The shortage of teachers in science, mathematics, and special education in a school system;

(ii)    The percentage of conditional teachers in a school system; and

(iii)    Geographic diversity.

(3)    Subject to the availability of funds, each fiscal year the Department shall designate the number of qualified candidates in each local school system that may participate in the Program.

(4)    The total number of qualified candidates that may participate in the Program statewide may not exceed 100 in any fiscal year.

(d)    (1)    The Department and the county board shall share in the cost of providing a per diem stipend to an eligible qualified candidate who participates in a preresidency internship program.

(2)    The Department’s share of the per diem stipend shall be no more than 50% of a local school system’s long-term degreed substitute per diem rate, for a maximum of 40 days.

(e)    State funds provided under this Program shall supplement and may not supplant local funding provided for the same purpose.

(f)    On October 1, 2008, and each year thereafter, the Department shall submit to the Governor and, subject to § 2-1246 of the State Government Article, to the General Assembly, a report regarding:

(1)    The school systems participating in the Program and the number of per diem stipends awarded;

(2)    The teaching assignments of resident teachers participating in the Program; and

(3)    The retention rate of resident teachers participating in the Program during their first 5 years of teaching.