Does anyon know about "Teach Grant"? Updated

[daughtersrus]

My DD#2 is starting her 4th year in college as a Special Ed major. She went to CC and transferred with her AA but because of the field based, practicum and student teaching, she's a semester behind.

Anyway, she took a Teach Grant last year that gave her $4,000 with the condition that she teach in a high need field (SpEd qualifies), in a low income school for 4 out of 8 years.

She's debating whether she wants to take another one this year.

If she does, we assume that she will need to teach another 4 years but would they then give her 16 years to teach for a total of 8 years or will she need to teach 8 years (4 for each grant) in the 8 years after graduation?

Also, if a school is low income when she gets a job but for some reason no longer is in a following year, will she have to leave that job and look for another in a low income school? Here, there are several school in our district that are low income but there are also a few in the same district that are not. Depending on the demographics, some may be low income one year but another year they may not be.

If she doesn't meet the teaching requirements after graduation, the grant converts to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest accrued to when the money was given.

Thanks!

 

[lesroi]

Many answers here:

http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/TEACH.jsp


My sister teaches in the Special Education program. Wish she would have known about this!

Tracy

 

[daughtersrus]

Many answers here:

http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/TEACH.jsp


My sister teaches in the Special Education program. Wish she would have known about this!

Tracy

Thanks for the link but I already read that and I'm still confused. It says...•For each TEACH Grant-eligible program for which you received TEACH Grant funds, you must serve as a full-time teacher for a total of at least four academic years within eight calendar years after you completed or withdrew from the academic program for which you received the TEACH Grant.

So does that mean if she takes a second grant this year that she will have to teach all 8 of the years as soon as she graduates? I'm just afraid that in this ecomony, she may not find a job right after school. Plus, she will graduate in Dec so it's unlikely that she'll get a full time job until the following Aug.

I'll try and call the Dept of Ed or the Financial Aid off at school tomorrow.

 

[lesroi]

I read it as: you have to start teaching within 8 years of receiving the grant. Surely she will find a job within 8 years of graduating?

I also think that yes, if she receives two grants, it is probably 8 years in total that she will need to teach. You are probably best to call the Dept. of Ed and not the financial aid office. I think the DofE will have the better info.

Congratulations to your daughter. Teaching is a HARD job but my sister loves it and can't imagine doing anything else.

Tracy

 

[NikiM20]

I was just talking to my financial aid advisor about this today. It's 4 years per degree. So if she gets her undergrad in special Ed. 4 years. If she goes back to get her masters, it's another 4 years.

ETA.. If she uses the teach grant it's 4 years per degree, not per year she gets the grant. I will get the grant for 3 years and will only have to teach 4 years in a high need field within 8 years of graduating. Am I making any sense? It's finals week so I'm a little brain dead LOL

 

[daughtersrus]

I was just talking to my financial aid advisor about this today. It's 4 years per degree. So if she gets her undergrad in special Ed. 4 years. If she goes back to get her masters, it's another 4 years.

ETA.. If she uses the teach grant it's 4 years per degree, not per year she gets the grant. I will get the grant for 3 years and will only have to teach 4 years in a high need field within 8 years of graduating. Am I making any sense? It's finals week so I'm a little brain dead LOL

Thanks for the help. That would be great if it's just 4 years total. If that's how it works, since she's already taken the grant last year, she might as well do it again. She will have one undergrad degree in LBS(Learning Behavior Science). She wants to get a Masters in Deaf and Hard of Hearing but that won't be until after she's working.

I don't think that she'll have a problem getting a job (SpEd is needed here) and with this economy, many schools that weren't low income, now are.

I'll call later just to be sure.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

I am a sped teacher but from experience, I can tell you that there is a really good chance that she can get a job in a low income area. There are more special needs students in low income areas for a variety of reasons therefore it is easier to get a job and fullfill the requirement.

 

[daughtersrus]

Just thought that I would update for anyone else interested.

I called the Federal Student Aid Information Center phone # listed on the Teach Grant site and they weren't able to answer the question. They directed me to the college.

I called IL State University and they confirmed that it is only 4 years total regardless of how many years you accept the grant. Because DD already accepted it last year, she decided to accept it again this year. Worst case scenario is that she isn't able to meet the requirements and it converts to a loan. If she doesn't take it, the loan that she takes will be that much more.

I don't think that she'll have a problem finding a job. DD#1 also majored SpEd. She subbed from Jan-June after graduation but found a job that May for the following school year. While at that job, she had offers from other schools (where she subbed and student taught). In this economy, it was a nice spot to be in.

Thanks again!

 

[agnes!]

Glad you got your answer, congratulations to your DD on getting the grants. I *was* kind of thinking that the doubled 4-years-per-individual-loan (equalling a theoretical term of 8 years, almost a decade!) was a little too much like indentured servitude...

agnes!