Enrollment Management Electronic Newsletter

TEACH Grant

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH) program was created in the College Cost Reduction and Access Act which was signed on September 27, 2007 and becomes effective July 1, 2008. This grant is to provide assistance to students who plan on becoming teachers and teachers who are seeking a graduate degree. Institutions must apply to participate in this program and it is optional. Shepherd University is undergoing an analysis to determine if it will participate in the first year. Needless to say, there is much to consider. The Office of Financial Aid will communicate with all eligible students regarding this program if and when appropriate.

Of major concern is that this grant can revert to an unsubsidized loan with interest accruing from the date of actual disbursement if the student does not serve as a full-time teacher for at least four years within eight years after completing the course of study for which they received the grant. They must teach at a public or private nonprofit elementary or secondary Title I (low income) school. They must also be a highly qualified teacher in a high-need field.

Currently, high-need fields are defined as bilingual education and English language acquisition, foreign language, mathematics, reading specialist, science, special education, or other teacher shortage areas at the time students begin teaching in that field.

In order to be eligible for the grant, students must file a FAFSA in addition to meeting at least one of the following academic qualifications:

Test score above the 75th percentile in at least one battery of appropriate admissions test

Final cumulative secondary school GPA of at least 3.25

If beyond first year of program, cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 through most recently completed semester.

The students' best interest is always at the forefront of any decision; however, more than 80 percent of these grants are expected to revert to an unsubsidized loan. While it may seem like a wonderful opportunity right now, our students will need to be educated on the potential debt burden this may bring in the future.

http://www.shepherd.edu/faoweb/