SECTION 23.288. Eligibility for Enrollment in the Program

(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.

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