(a) To be eligible for the Board to conditionally approve
an application and encumber loan repayment funds, a teacher must:
(1) ensure that the Board has received the completed
enrollment application and transcripts of the applicant's postsecondary
coursework, and any other requested documents by the established deadline
posted on the Program web page;
(2) be a U.S. citizen;
(3) have completed an undergraduate or graduate program
in mathematics or science;
(4) have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on
a four-point scale, or the equivalent, at the institution from which
the teacher graduated;
(5) be certified under the Texas Education Code, Subchapter
B, Chapter 21, or under a probationary teaching certificate, to teach
mathematics or science in a Texas public school;
(6) have secured an employment contract as a full-time
classroom teacher to teach mathematics or science in a Title I school
at the time of application for enrollment in the Program;
(7) not receive any other state or federal loan repayment
assistance, including a Teacher Education Assistance for College and
Higher Education (TEACH) Grant or teacher loan forgiveness;
(8) not be in default on any education loan; and
(9) enter into an agreement with the Board that includes
the provisions stated in subsection (b) of this section.
(b) The agreement with the Board must include the following
provisions:
(1) the applicant will accept an offer of continued
employment to teach mathematics or science, as applicable based on
the teacher's certification, for an average of at least four hours
each school day in a Title I school, for four consecutive years, beginning
with the school year that has recently begun or the upcoming school
year at the time of the application for enrollment in the Program;
(2) the applicant may complete up to four additional
consecutive school years teaching mathematics or science, as applicable
based on the teacher's certification, for an average of at least four
hours each school day in any Texas public school, beginning with the
school year immediately following the last of the four consecutive
school years described by paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
(3) the applicant understands that loan repayment awards
are contingent on available funding received, the Board may make a
financial commitment only based on funds that have been appropriated
for each two-year state budget period, and the teacher will be released
from the teaching obligation for any year of employment for which
funds are not available.
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Source Note: The provisions of this §23.288 adopted to be effective August 30, 2016, 41 TexReg 6484; transferred effective December 15, 2016, as published in the Texas Register November 25, 2016, 41 TexReg 9341; amended to be effective December 5, 2019, 44 TexReg 7384 |