(a) There is established a Connecticut minority teacher incentive program administered by the Office of Higher Education, of which the minority educator loan reimbursement grant program established pursuant to § 10a-168b shall be a component part.

(b) Within available appropriations, the program shall provide grants to minority students (1) in teacher education programs for their junior or senior year, or both such years, at any four-year institution of higher education, (2) completing the requirements of such a teacher education program as a graduate student, provided such student received a grant pursuant to this section for one year at the undergraduate level, or (3) enrolled in the alternate route to certification program administered through the Office of Higher Education or the Department of Education. No student shall receive a grant under the program for more than two years. Maximum grants shall not exceed five thousand dollars per year. The office shall ensure that at least ten per cent of the grant recipients are minority students who transfer from a Connecticut regional community-technical college.

(c) The Office of Higher Education may accept gifts, grants and donations, from any source, public or private, for the Connecticut minority teacher incentive program.