Critical Teacher Shortage Student Loan Forgiveness Program
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
2006-07
Critical Teacher Shortage Student Loan Forgiveness Program
Fact Sheet
Florida Statute 1009.59 State Board of Education Rule 6A-20.013
Program Description
The Critical Teacher Shortage Student Loan Forgiveness Program (CTSLF) provides
financial assistance to eligible Florida teachers who hold a valid Florida Teacher’s
Certificate or Florida Department of Health License by assisting them in the repayment
of undergraduate and graduate educational loans that led to certification in a critical
teacher shortage subject area. The Florida CTSLF is a state-funded program and not
the Federal Title I Program.
What are the Initial Eligibility Requirements to Receive Funding?
The teacher will:
• Be teaching full-time at a publicly-funded school and hold a valid Florida
Teacher's Certificate (Temporary or Professional) or Florida Department of
Health License (Temporary or Permanent), issued by July 15, 2007, in the
same critical teacher shortage subject area employed (at the grade level for which
employed) that covers the current academic year of service. Public schools are
operated under the control of school boards and offer classes or courses authorized
by law. A school is publicly-funded if it receives at least 75% of its operating costs
from governmental agencies and operates its educational program under contract
with a public school district or the Department of Education.
• Be under contract with, and teaching in, a Florida publicly-funded school.
• Teach in a critical shortage subject area;
• be temporarily or permanently certified or licensed in the same critical shortage
area as teaching in;
• apply in the first year of having both the critical shortage position and the
critical shortage certificate or license; and
• teach at least 90 days of the school year in the critical shortage area.
• Note: Endorsements are not eligible for the CTSLF.
• Not have received a scholarship loan under the Florida Teacher Scholarship &
Forgivable Loan Program, the "Chappie" James Most Promising Teacher
Scholarship Loan Program, the Critical Teacher Scholarship Loan Program, the
Masters' Fellowship Loan Program for Teachers, or the Paul Douglas Teacher
Scholarship Program.
• Not owe a repayment under any state or federal Title IV grant or scholarship
program unless satisfactory arrangements to repay have been made.
• Not be in default on any federal Title IV or state student loan program unless
satisfactory arrangements to repay have been made.How Does a Teacher Apply?
The teacher will:
• Submit a fully completed (error free) 2007-08 Initial Teacher Florida Financial Aid
Application to the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), Office of Student
Financial Assistance (OSFA)* at www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org. Select
State Grants, Scholarships & Applications, Apply Here, and then Initial
Teacher Application. This application is available online January 1, 2007.
• The deadline is July 15 of the first school year in which the applicant taught
full-time for at least 90 days as a certified teacher in a critical teacher shortage
subject area.
• If a teacher has taught more than 90 days but fewer than 180 days, the teacher
may reapply as an initial applicant during the next application period or receive
a prorated award for the current application period.
• Contact OSFA toll-free at 1-888-827-2004 if the application acknowledgement
correspondence has not been received within ten business days following date of
submission.
• Submit academic transcript(s) from postsecondary educational institution(s)
from which a baccalaureate degree, or higher, was received prior to becoming a
certified teacher in a critical teacher shortage subject area.
• If the applicant attended a Florida postsecondary institution (PSI), the
Postsecondary Institution Certification Form must be completed by the
institution’s designated employee online using the PSI Teacher Certification
Reports at www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org, and submitted to OSFA by July
15, 2007.
• If the applicant attended an out-of-state institution, the applicant may request
that the out-of-state postsecondary institution(s) submit his/her transcript(s) to
OSFA* by July 15, 2007, or the applicant may submit an unofficial transcript(s).
All submissions must verify that a degree was received.
• An applicant may validate FDOE’s receipt of the completed form or transcript
information online by using the User ID and PIN** issued in the application
acknowledgement correspondence.
• Ensure certification of each educational loan(s) received prior to becoming a
certified teacher in a critical teacher shortage subject area for which the applicant
is applying. Two available options are:
• The teacher may authorize OSFA to search the National Student Loan Data
System (NSLDS) to certify the applicant’s student loans. The teacher may
monitor the progress of the certification via the web by using the User ID and
PIN** issued in the application acknowledgement correspondence.
• The teacher retains responsibility for ensuring that OSFA receives a
complete and accurate loan certification from each lender/servicing
agent by July 15, 2007.
or
• The teacher may choose to ensure certification by downloading and completing
a Loan Certification Form(s) (PDF). This form must be submitted by the
teacher to each lender/servicing agent for verification.• The teacher retains responsibility for ensuring that OSFA receives a
complete and accurate loan certification from each lender/servicing
agent by July 15, 2007.
• Loan balances must be certified by the lender(s) and submitted to OSFA*
by July 15, 2007.
• The lender's seal or return address stamp must be affixed to the
completed and returned Loan Certification Form(s) (PDF).
• The teacher must ensure that the lender sends the completed Loan
Certification Form(s) (PDF) to FDOE, OSFA* by July 15, 2007. The
teacher may verify FDOE's receipt of the completed form(s) online by
using the User ID and PIN** issued in the application acknowledgement
correspondence.
• Ensure that the school district superintendent, charter school administrator, or
designee has correctly certified the applicant’s employment eligibility online using
the Employment Certification Form by July 15, 2007. An applicant may
verify FDOE’s receipt of the completed form online by using the User ID and
PIN** issued in the application acknowledgement correspondence.
• Verify all information submitted online by the lender(s), postsecondary
institution(s), FDOE Certification, and/or FDOH Licensure is accurate. The
applicant may verify completion of this information using the User ID and PIN**
issued in the application acknowledgement correspondence.
How Does a Teacher Renew?
A renewal applicant is one who received an award in the prior year. Renewal
applicants do not need to reapply. However, the renewal applicant will:
• Hold a valid Florida Teacher's Certificate (Temporary or Professional) or
Florida Department of Health License (Temporary or Permanent) in the same
critical teacher shortage subject area employed (at the grade level for which
employed) that covers the current academic year of service.
• Ensure that the school district superintendent, charter school administrator,
or designee correctly certified the teacher’s employment eligibility online. The
applicant may verify completion of this information using the User ID and PIN**
issued in the application acknowledgement correspondence.
• Update any personal, demographic, employment information on the OSFA
website by using the User ID and PIN** issued in the application
acknowledgement correspondence.
• Notify OSFA of any lender changes/consolidations immediately by calling toll-
free at 1-888-827-2004.
How Does a Teacher Reinstate?
A reinstatement applicant is one who was determined eligible for a specific program
award, but who did not receive funds during the immediately preceding award year.
The reinstatement applicant will:
• Submit a Reinstatement/Restoration Application at
www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org by July 15. Select State Grants, Scholarships
& Applications, Apply Here, and then Reinstatement/Restoration Application
for Students & Teachers.• Hold a valid Florida Teacher's Certificate (Temporary or Professional) or
Florida Department of Health License (Temporary or Permanent) in the same
critical teacher shortage subject area employed (at the grade level for which
employed) that covers the current academic year of service.
• Ensure that the school district superintendent, charter school administrator,
or designee correctly certified the teacher’s employment eligibility online. The
applicant may verify completion of this information using the User ID and PIN**
issued in the application acknowledgement correspondence.
• Notify OSFA of any lender changes/consolidations by calling toll-free at 1-888-
827-2004.
What is the Award Process?
• CTSLF awards may be prorated and vary each year depending upon
annual funding, the number of eligible applicants, and timely receipt of all
required forms and documentation described in the Eligibility Requirements.
• Previous average annual award amounts may be viewed in the Office of
Student Financial Assistance Annual Report to the Commissioner (PDF).
• Participants may receive up to a maximum of $10,000 for the duration of the
program.
• For the 2005-06 award year, full-time teachers who taught at least 180 days
during the 2004-05 academic year
• with undergraduate degrees received $440
• with graduate degrees received $880
• The award amount is based on the unpaid principal balance due on educational
loans as of June 30 immediately preceding the applicant's date of employment as a
full-time teacher certified in a critical teacher shortage subject area. Loans must
have been incurred by applicants to assist them in becoming a teacher. Interest
and other costs are the responsibility of applicants. Applicants who receive an
award continue to be responsible for meeting repayment obligations to the lender.
Teachers/Applicants are financially obligated for their loans and must continue to
make regularly scheduled payments.
• Graduate courses which did not result in a graduate degree in an appropriate
critical teacher shortage subject area may be awarded at the undergraduate level.
• To receive an award, the applicant must have taught a full school year as defined
by Section 1000.21, Florida Statutes, in a Florida publicly-funded school (180 or
more days). An applicant who completes at least 90 days, but less than 180 days
of teaching may be eligible to receive half of a yearly prorated award.
How Long May a Teacher Receive Funding?
• Participants may receive up to a maximum of $10,000 in loan repayments for the
duration of the program.
• Previous average annual award amounts may be viewed in the Office of
Student Financial Assistance Annual Report to the Commissioner (PDF).
How are Awards Disbursed?
• OSFA will notify the applicant of award eligibility.
• The award will be forwarded to the eligible teacher and will be issued in the form of
a check made payable to the teacher and the lender. After endorsing the check,
the teacher is responsible for forwarding the check to the lender. The teacher mustinclude the loan account number on the check or payment slip to ensure an
appropriate and timely payment. If the amount of the check exceeds the amount of
the remaining unpaid principal, the teacher is responsible for ensuring that the
lender refunds the amount of the overpayment to the teacher.
• The check may be made payable to the teacher if the teacher submits
documentation (a pay-off letter) to OSFA* from all lenders demonstrating that all
principal balances due as of June 30 prior to the beginning date of eligible service
have since been paid by the teacher.
How May a Teacher Appeal?
An applicant who believes financial aid has been wrongly denied has certain rights to
appeal. A participating teacher may appeal if he or she believes the FDOE erred in
determining eligibility. A Department appeal is to be filed in writing within 30 days of
the date of the notice of ineligibility.
How Does an Applicant or Program Participant Make Changes in
Information?
An applicant must notify OSFA of any change in name, address, employment, or holder
of the loan. If the holder of the loan changes due to consolidation or change of
ownership, then documentation of such must be provided to OSFA immediately. A
participating teacher may update information in the following ways:
• By accessing and updating the teacher record on the OSFA website at
www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org using the assigned User ID and PIN**:
Select State Grants, Scholarships & Applications,
select Application Status & Award History,
select Initial Teacher,
select Update, and then the appropriate option.
• By calling OSFA toll-free at 1-888-827-2004.
Use of an Applicant’s Social Security Number/Non-discrimination
Statement
The Privacy Act of 1974 requires state agencies to inform applicants of the reasons for
requesting their Social Security numbers (SSN). The FDOE requests an SSN on all
applications for financial assistance to correctly identify applicants.
An applicant will not be denied financial assistance for failure to disclose the SSN.
Without an SSN, correct identification of an applicant's record cannot be assured and
may result in an error in the award amount or a delay in the disbursement of an award.
Pursuant to Section 1000.05, Florida Statutes, state student financial assistance is
provided to eligible applicants without discriminating on the basis of race, sex, national
origin, marital status, or handicap. Minority status will be considered when required by
law as a condition of eligibility or selection.
For further information contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance, State
Programs, Suite 70, 1940 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32303-4759 or call
toll-free at 1-888-827-2004.
*Florida Department of Education
Office of Student Financial AssistanceState Programs
Suite 70, 1940 North Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32303-4759
** Applicants/Participants may access their User ID and PIN on the OSFA
website at www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org. Select State Grants,
Scholarships, & Applications, Application Status & Award History, and
then Get My User ID and PIN.
______________________________________________________________________________________
2006-07 Critical Teacher Shortage Areas for the Critical Teacher
Shortage Loan Forgiveness Program
Certification Areas for Loan Forgiveness
(endorsements are not eligible)
Exceptional Student Education Programs (ESE)
This certification area also includes:
• Autism
• Emotionally Handicapped
• Hearing Impaired
• Mentally Handicapped
• Physically Impaired
• Specific Learning Disabled
• Speech and Language Impaired
• Varying Exceptionalities
• Visually Impaired
English for Speakers of Other Languages
Foreign Languages
Middle and High School Level Mathematics
Middle and High School Level Science
Reading
School Psychology
Technology Education - Industrial ArtsYou can also read
