Alabama Administrative Code › Title 300 - ALABAMA COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION › Chapter 300-4-12 - ALABAMA MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM › Section 300-4-12-.11 - Eligible Applicants And Award Amounts For Loan Repayment Program

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) Base Program:
			 Beginning in the Fall 2022 semester new applicants will be eligible for the
			 base loan repayment program for math and science teachers of three thousand
			 seven hundred fifty dollars ($3,750) per semester worked or $7,500 per year,
			 for a maximum of four consecutive years, or to be eligible for the base loan
			 repayment program for computer science teachers of one thousand five hundred
			 dollars ($1,500) per semester worked or $3,000 per year, for a maximum of four
			 consecutive years an applicant shall satisfy all of the following:
(a) Be a graduate of an ALSBE approved
			 program in math or science or computer science beginning with the Spring term
			 of 2018, at the baccalaureate or master's level, from an approved institution
			 leading to an initial middle level or secondary professional educator
			 certificate endorsed in math or science or computer science that was issued
			 based upon completion of the approved program in math or science or computer
			 science. A teacher who only earns a passing score on the Praxis test in math or
			 science or computer science to add a certificate endorsement for math or
			 science or computer science, and who has not completed an entire approved
			 program, does not satisfy this requirement.
(b) Holds a valid Alabama professional
			 educator certificate endorsed in middle level or secondary math or science or
			 computer science, or any combination of the three.
(c) Is teaching in an Alabama public school
			 district or at an Alabama Public Charter School Commission approved charter
			 school.
(d) Is a citizen or a
			 lawful permanent resident of the United States.
(e) Is a resident of Alabama and provides
			 documentation proving a permanent connection to the State of Alabama. The
			 commission shall accept any one of the following as proof of residency:
1. A current valid Alabama driver
			 license.
2. A current valid Alabama
			 vehicle registration.
3. A current
			 valid Alabama voter registration card.
(f) Has outstanding federal student loans,
			 subsidized or unsubsidized.
(g)
			 Teaches a schedule in which at least three-fourths of the full-time teaching
			 load is comprised of math, science or computer science in an Alabama public
			 school system.
(h) Satisfies
			 additional continuing eligibility criteria established by the Commission. A
			 recipient who receives a loan repayment award and continues to satisfy
			 employment criteria shall continue to receive an award for the four-year limit
			 regardless of whether the employing school system retains its acute shortage
			 designation or the employing school is removed from the failing school list. If
			 a recipient leaves an acute shortage system or a failing school, and accepts
			 employment in a school system or school that does not hold an acute shortage
			 system or failing school designation, the recipient shall no longer qualify to
			 receive supplemental funds.
(i)
			 Beginning in the fall semester of 2021, the benefits outlined above shall apply
			 to the following eligible individuals, pending authorization to teach in
			 Alabama and subsequent employment in an Alabama public school:
1. An individual who graduated beginning with
			 the Spring term of 2018 forward from a regionally accredited college or
			 university in Alabama or in another state who is certified to teach math,
			 science, or computer science in another state, and who may or may not reside
			 within Alabama.
2. An individual
			 who resides in another state and is a graduate of an Alabama State Board of
			 Education approved program in math, science, or computer science, at the
			 baccalaureate or master's level, after the 2021 spring semester term, from an
			 approved Alabama institution and who holds an initial middle-level or secondary
			 professional educator certificate endorsed in math, science, or computer
			 science that was issued based upon completion of the approved program in math,
			 science, or computer science. A teacher who only earns a passing score on the
			 Praxis test in math, science, or computer science to add a certificate
			 endorsement for math, science, or computer science and who has not completed an
			 entire approved program, does not satisfy this requirement.
3. The individuals shall also satisfy all of
			 the following criteria:
(i) Hold a valid
			 Alabama professional educator certificate endorsed in middle-level or secondary
			 math, science, or computer science, or any combination of the three.
(ii) Teach a schedule in which at least
			 three-fourths of the full-time teaching load is comprised of math, science, or
			 computer science courses for which the teacher is properly certified in an
			 Alabama public school system.
(iii)
			 Be citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States.
(iv) Have outstanding federal student loans,
			 subsidized or unsubsidized
(v)
			 Satisfy additional continuing eligibility criteria established by the
			 commission. A recipient who receives a loan repayment award and continues to
			 satisfy employment criteria shall continue to receive an award for the
			 four-year limit regardless of whether the employing school system retains its
			 acute shortage designation or the employing school is removed from the failing
			 school list. If a recipient leaves an acute shortage system or a failing
			 school, and accepts employment in a school system or school that does not hold
			 an acute shortage system or failing school designation, the recipient shall no
			 longer qualify to receive supplemental funds.
(j) Beginning after the 2021 spring semester,
			 an individual issued an Alabama bachelor's level professional educator
			 certificate in math, science, or computer science upon completion of an
			 alternative certification program pursuant to the Code of Alabama, Section
			 16-23-3, may be eligible for the
			 program if he or she satisfies all employment and teaching load requirements
			 outlined above. The individual may only be reimbursed for tuition and mandatory
			 instructional fees for not more than 12 semester credit hours of the college
			 courses required for earning an alternative certificate in order to obtain a
			 professional educator certificate in math, science, or computer science. The
			 individual shall provide the Alabama State Department of Education and the
			 commission with documentation concerning the cost incurred for the course work.
			 These funds are considered income by the Internal Revenue Service, and
			 recipients shall be made aware of that fact.