Subchapter L. URBAN AND RURAL TEACHER LOAN
FORGIVENESS PROGRAM
Sec.
121.201. Application of existing Agency regulations.
121.202. Qualified applicant.
121.203. Loan forgiveness.
121.204. Teaching commitment.
121.205. Eligible public school districts.
121.206. State certification.
121.207. Classroom teaching.
Authority The provisions of this Subchapter L amended under section 4 of the act of August 7, 1963 (P. L. 549, No. 290) (24 P. S. § 5104); section 1 of the act of January 25, 1966 (P. L. 1546, No. 541) (24 P. S. § 5151); the act of July 18, 1974 (P. L. 483, No. 174) (24 P. S. § § 5181—5189); the act of July 1, 1988 (P. L. 1259, No. 155) (24 P. S. § § 5191—5197); and the act of June 26, 1992 (P. L. 322, No. 64) (24 P. S. § § 5198.1—5198.7), unless otherwise noted.
Source The provisions of this Subchapter L adopted July 12, 1996, effective July 13, 1996, 26 Pa.B. 3321, unless otherwise noted.
§ 121.201. Application of existing Agency regulations.
The following higher education grant regulations contained in Subchapters A and B (relating to general provisions; and the State Higher Education Grant Program) apply to applicants in the Urban and Rural Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program:
(1) Section 121.1 (relating to definitions).
(2) Section 121.3 (relating to discrimination prohibited).
(3) Section 121.4(a) (relating to denial of eligibility to loan defaulters).
(4) Section 121.6 (relating to denial of eligibility for financial assistance).
(5) Section 121.7 (relating to notice of denial and preliminary review procedures).
(6) Section 121.8 (relating to applicant and recipient appeals and hearings).
§ 121.202. Qualified applicant.
A qualified applicant in the Urban and Rural Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program shall be a person who meets the following requirements. The person:
(1) Is certified by the Department of Education to teach in a preschool, elementary school or secondary school located in this Commonwealth.
(2) Is in the first year of full-time, permanent classroom teaching at the time of application.
(3) Is a classroom teacher at an eligible urban or rural public school district or at a nonprofit, nonpublic school in a district at which students may fulfill compulsory attendance requirements.
(4) Has borrowed through the Agency-administered Federal Family Education Loan Programs.
§ 121.203. Loan forgiveness.
Qualified applicants who are selected for the Urban and Rural Loan Forgiveness Program in accordance with the policies established by the Agency are eligible for payment by the Agency of the PHEAA-approved indebtedness in the Agency-administered Federal Family Education Loan Programs, including interest charges, if the indebtedness is at least $500. The indebtedness may not include loans advanced by relatives of the borrower and other individuals. For each academic year that the teaching commitment is fulfilled, and based upon the availability of funds, the forgiveness rate shall be the greater of either a maximum 25% of the PHEAA-approved indebtedness or the minimum annual payment required in order to keep each PHEAA-approved loan in good standing. Forgiveness may not exceed $2,500 for each year that the teaching commitment is fulfilled and no more than $10,000 will be forgiven for any participant. The payment shall be made in accordance with the procedures established by the Agency.
§ 121.204. Teaching commitment.
Qualified applicants for the Urban and Rural Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program shall be required to submit documentation the Agency may require as proof that the individual:
(1) Has spent the major portion of the school day during the school year teaching in a classroom at an eligible urban or rural school district.
(2) Has received a satisfactory rating by the district or nonpublic school for the academic year.
(3) Is in compliance with all other criteria for eligibility, as are legally promulgated and made available by the Agency on an annual basis.
§ 121.205. Eligible public school districts.
(a) A rural public school district shall be one that has a population of less than 300 per square mile and one of the following:
(1) More than 8% of the pupils in average daily membership are low-income pupils as defined in section 2502.11 of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P. S. § 25-2502).
(2) The market value/income aid ratio, as defined in section 2501 of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P. S. § 2501), is greater than 7/10.
(b) An urban public school district shall be one that has a population greater than 850 per square mile and one of the following:
(1) More than 8% of the pupils in average daily membership are low-income pupils as defined in section 2502.11 of the Public School Code of 1949.
(2) The market value/income aid ratio, as defined in section 2501 of the Public School Code of 1949, is greater than 7/10.
(c) The definitions in subsections (a) and (b) also apply to an intermediate unit or area vocational-technical school if the composite data for all participating school districts meet the criteria specified in this section.
§ 121.206. State certification.
For the purposes of the Urban and Rural Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program, State certification means Pennsylvania public school certification that qualifies a professional educator to provide classroom instruction in the grade level and content area specified for that certificate. State certification does not mean an Educational Specialist Certificate whose primary responsibility is to render professional service other than classroom teaching.
§ 121.207. Classroom teaching.
(a) For the purposes of the Urban and Rural Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program, classroom teaching means providing instruction in the grade level and content area specified on the teacher’s State certificate and shall be for the major portion of the school day, which shall be at least 1/2 of the available periods used for instruction.
(b) Classroom teaching shall be on a full-time, permanent basis and does not include any form of substitute teaching.
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