High Needs Educator Student Loan Payment Program
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HS 1 for HB 346 as amended by HA2 creates the High Needs Educator Student Loan Payment Program, which would improve educational outcomes for students by working to retain educators of critical importance to students. Under this program, educators who work in certification areas in which Delaware has a shortage and educators working in Delaware’s highest need schools are eligible for student loan repayments.
UPDATE for 2020-2021
In May 2020, the DDOE issued guidance to LEAs stating that educator evaluations would be suspended for the 2019-2020 school year due to school closures, so please see below for the evaluation portion of the application.
Teachers employed in an eligible Delaware school who would have received their evaluation for the first time in the 2019-2020 academic year are exempt from the requirement of an evaluation rating of at least “effective.”
For all other educators, the DDOE will use your most recent evaluation cycle and align the eligibility requirements for this program.
Eligibility: You are eligible if you have a qualified student loan and you teach in a high needs school and/or a high needs subject area:
High Needs Schools:
District Name School Name Academia Antonia Alonso Academia Antonia Alonso Brandywine School District Harlan (David W.) Elementary Capital School District East Dover Elementary Capital School District Kent County Secondary ILC Capital School District William Henry Middle School Charter School of New Castle Charter School of New Castle Christina School District Bancroft Elementary School Christina School District Bayard Middle School Christina School District Brookside Elementary School Christina School District Christiana High School Christina School District Douglass School Christina School District Elbert-Palmer Elementary School Christina School District Glasgow High School Christina School District Oberle (William) Elementary School Christina School District Pulaski (Casimir) Elementary School Christina School District Stubbs (Frederick Douglass) Elementary School Colonial School District Eisenberg (Harry O.) Elementary School Colonial School District McCullough (Calvin R.) Middle School Colonial School District New Castle Elementary School Colonial School District The Wallace Wallin School Edison (Thomas A.) Charter School Edison (Thomas A.) Charter School East Side Charter School East Side Elementary Great Oaks Charter School Great Oaks Charter School Indian River School District Clayton (John M.) Elementary School Indian River School District Georgetown Elementary School Indian River School District Georgetown Middle School Kuumba Academy Charter School Kuumba Academy Charter School Red Clay Consolidated School District Baltz (Austin D.) Elementary School Red Clay Consolidated School District duPont (Alexis I.) Middle School Red Clay Consolidated School District Highlands Elementary School Red Clay Consolidated School District Lewis (William C.) Dual Language Elementary School Red Clay Consolidated School District McKean (Thomas) High School Red Clay Consolidated School District Mote (Anna P.) Elementary School Red Clay Consolidated School District Richardson Park Elementary School Red Clay Consolidated School District Shortlidge (Evan G.) Academy Red Clay Consolidated School District Stanton Middle School Red Clay Consolidated School District Warner Elementary School Seaford School District Frederick Douglass Elementary School Seaford School District Seaford Senior High School DSCYF Facility High Needs Subject Areas:
Subject Area Certifications Bilingual 1561 Bilingual Teacher English Language Learner 1562 Teacher of English Learners World Languages 1565 World Language Teacher Math 1532 Middle Level Mathematics Teacher
1542 Secondary Mathematics TeacherScience 1533 Middle Level Science Teacher
1543 Secondary Science TeacherSpecial Education (All Areas) 1570 Early Childhood Exceptional Children Special Education Teacher
1571 Special Education Teacher of Students with Disabilities
1573 Teacher of Students with Autism or with Severe Intellectual Disabilities
1574 Teacher of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
1575 Teacher of Students with Visual ImpairmentsBusiness Education 1551 Business Education Teacher Agriscience Education 1550 AgriScience Teacher Family Consumer Science 1554 Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher School Nurse 1582 School Nurse Library Media Specialist 1580 School Library Media Specialist English 1531 Middle Level English Language Arts Teacher
1540 Secondary English Language Arts TeacherImmersion (Elementary/World language) 1521 Elementary Teachers (only if seeking Immersion position with demonstrated language proficiency). Technology Education 1557 Technology Education Teacher Speech and Hearing Therapist
School PsychologistDSCYF Facilities Funding: Educators are eligible for between $1,000 and $2,000 of student loan repayments annually, for up to five years. Loan repayment will be sent directly to the educators student loan provider. Efforts will be made to try to ensure each applicant receives repayments, however if more applicants apply than can receive repayments, the Department will prioritize those teaching in both a high needs school and high needs subject are first. Payments are subject to taxation, which will be amortized over the course of each applicant’s paycheck.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is the funding level for this program?
- For the 2020-2021 academic year there is $700,000 available for this year to make student loan payments on behalf of eligible teachers
- Is this program different from the Federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness program?
- Yes, this program is separate from the Federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness program
- Is there a minimum number of teaching years experience needed to apply for this program?
- You must have been employed for at least one school year in a high needs school and/or a high needs subject area and received a rating of at least "effective" on your most recent summative evaluation
- Am I eligible to apply if I teach on an emergency certificate?
-No, you must be teaching on a standard certificate to be eligible
Contact: If you have additional questions about the program, please contact the Delaware Higher Education Office at 302-735-4120 or dheo@doe.k12.de.us
Information that will be helpful to have before you begin the online application
- Your PHRST Employee ID number, this can be found on your paycheck
- Your Adjusted Gross Income from the most-recent tax year
- The total dollar amount of your outstanding student loans
- The name of your student loan lender (If you have multiple lenders, the name of the lender that you would be requesting payment be sent to)
APPLICATION:
The 2020-2021 application will open on October 1, 2020 and will close at 4:30 PM on October 31, 2020
Timeline:
- October 1, 2020 – applications are live and can be accessed on this website
- 4:30 PM October 31, 2020 – application will close
- End of December 2020/early January 2021 – announcement of recipients
- End of February 2021 – loan payments initiated, it will take up to 6 weeks to process all 500 individual payments to student lenders