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What are the TEACH Grants?
The TEACH Grants are authorized in the College Cost Reduction and Access Act which was enacted into law in the fall of 2007. These are grants to recruit teachers into hard-to-staff fields and low-income schools. Grants of up to $16,000 ($4000/year) for undergraduates and $8,000 for Master’s degree seeking students can be used to cover the cost of tuition and other school-expenses. Grantees will then complete a four-year teaching service obligation in a high-need field at a school that receives Title I funds.
When will the TEACH Grant Program begin?
The program will begin in July 2008.
When will regulations be issued by the Department of Education?
Currently, a negotiated rulemaking committee is meeting to develop regulations for the program. It is anticipated that draft regulations (a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)) will be issued in the spring. There are several representatives from schools of education at AACTE institutions on the panel including Sandy Robinson (University of Central Florida, Bill Graves (Old Dominion University), Bob Hendricks (University of Arizona), Jan Lariviere (University of Kansas), and Herbert Brunkhorst (California State University at San Bernardino). In addition, Jane West, AACTE Vice President for Government and External Relations, is serving as an alternate on the panel.
Which institutions of higher education are eligible to offer the TEACH Grants?
The institution must offer high quality teacher preparation and professional development services which include extensive clinical experiences as part of the pre-service preparation. The institution must provide pedagogical coursework or assistance in the preparation of such coursework, including the monitoring of student performance and formal instruction related to the theory and practice of teaching. The institution must provide supervision and support services to teachers, or assistance in the provision of such services, including mentoring focused on developing effective teaching skills and strategies.
Is there a limit on the number of TEACH Grants an institution can provide to students?
No. Funding for TEACH Grants is mandatory funding. As such, as much funding as is needed for the TEACH Grant applicants will be provided.
Which students are eligible for a TEACH Grant?
To qualify for a TEACH Grant, an applicant who is enrolled as an undergraduate student must have at least a 3.25 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale). If the student is in the first year of college, the grade point average standard applies to the student’s cumulative high school record. Alternatively, an applicant qualifies if he or she scores above the 75th percentile on at least one of the batteries in an undergraduate, post-baccalaureate or graduate school admissions test.
However, the GPA requirements do not apply to certain applicants who will be working on a graduate degree. Those applicants include a current teacher or retiree from another occupation with expertise in a field where there is a shortage of teachers.
If an applicant is a graduate student, he or she must be a teacher or a retiree from another occupation with expertise in a field where there is a shortage of teachers or complete a high quality alternative certification, such as Teach for America.
What are the teaching service requirements?
The grantee must complete four academic years of full-time teaching within an eight year period. Additionally, the teaching service obligation must take place in a public or nonprofit elementary or secondary school that is eligible for assistance under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as provided in section 465(a)(2) of the Higher Education Act.
How will students and others be able to apply for this grant?
This is currently under discussion with the negotiated rulemaking committee. It is likely that an interested student would need to complete a Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and sign a promissory note.
What happens if a grantee does not complete the service obligation?
If a grantee does not complete the service obligation or decides during the undergraduate or graduate program that he or she doesn’t want to continue, the grant converts to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan that the student must pay back.
How are teaching shortage areas defined?
Teaching shortage areas include mathematics, science, a foreign language, bilingual education, special education, reading specialist, or other fields designated as high need by the Federal Government, State Government or local educational agency and approved by the Secretary of Education.
How can institutions find out more about the TEACH Grants?
Draft regulations are scheduled to be issued in the spring. AACTE will be providing ongoing information to members as it becomes available. For additional information contact Mary Harrill-McClellean at mharrill@aacte.org or (202) 293-2450.
