Winter-Reed Loan Repayment Program; provide awards for assistant teachers.

SB 2516 expands Mississippi's William F. Winter and Jack Reed, Sr., Teacher Loan Repayment Program to include assistant teachers in public schools, who were previously excluded. The bill provides the same annual loan repayment awards for assistant teachers as for teachers - ranging from $1,500 to $6,000 per year - based on years served and whether they teach in areas designated as critical teacher shortage zones. To qualify, assistant teachers must hold a standard license, teach full-time in Mississippi public schools, and have qualifying student loans, while avoiding default on other loans. The program applies the existing structure, including priority for shortage-area schools and annual payments applied directly to outstanding loan balances. This bill aimed to support assistant teachers financially but died in committee in February 2026.