There are several programs providing tuition aid, exemptions and grants, and housing assistance for educators.

Tuition/fee grants and exemptions

Federal

The federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant program is a non-need-based program providing up to $4,000 a year to undergraduate, post-baccalaureate and graduate students who agree to teach for four years in a high-need field, in a low-income school (within eight years of completing the program for which the TEACH Grant was awarded). Also eligible are current teachers or retirees with expertise in a high-need field pursuing a master’s degree, and current or former teachers pursuing certification through a high-quality alternative certification route that is part of a master’s program. (Note: additional requirements apply.) More information is available on the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators website.

State

The Teach for Texas Loan Repayment Assistance Program provides up to $5,000 annually in loan repayment assistance for eligible classroom teachers who: (1) submit a completed application to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) during the annual application period between April 1 and June 15 for teaching service during the current academic year being completed; (2) are currently teaching full-time at the preschool, primary or secondary level in a Texas public school; and (3) are certified and teach full-time in a field OR at a campus identified by TEA as experiencing a shortage of teachers during the academic year for which the application is submitted.

The aggregate maximum for loan repayment amounts is $20,000. Participation in the program is limited to five years. Annual loan repayments are disbursed after verification of eligible teaching for a complete academic year, and are made co-payable to the participant and the holder of the loan.

The Educational Aide Exemption program allows any current school employee who has worked as an educational aide for at least one of the last five years to qualify for college tuition and fee exemptions while seeking teacher certification.

The THECB oversees these tuition assistance programs and is available to answer questions at (800) 242-3062 or (512) 427-6340. Information is also available on the THECB website.

Loan deferment/forgiveness
On July 1, 2009, a significant new student loan repayment option became available for the first time. Income-Based Repayment (IBR) caps monthly federal loan payments at an affordable level based on income and family size, and forgives any debt and interest that remains after 25 years. In some cases, government, nonprofit or other public service employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness after just 10 years. IBR is available for almost all federal loans – past, present, or future – made by any lender, whether for college or graduate school. Additional information is available on the IBR website.

Teachers who have received federal loans to attend school and now serve in a designated low-income school or in a subject-matter shortage area may have the opportunity to cancel or defer student loans, depending on the type of loans. Some Stafford loan forgiveness benefits have increased from $5,000 to $17,500, for teachers meeting certain requirements. Details on this and other loan forgiveness/deferment/cancellation benefits are available on the TEA website.

Texas B-On-Time Student Loan Program
The Texas B-On-Time Student Loan Program provides no-interest loans to eligible students with the possibility of loan forgiveness when the student completes his/her degree on time and graduates with at least a B average. Only Texas residents who graduated from a public or accredited private high school not earlier than the 2002-03 academic year under the recommended or advanced high school curriculum are eligible (Note: additional requirements apply). More information on this and other loan programs is available from the THECB website.

Housing assistance
Professional educators are eligible for a new program benefiting first-time homebuyers. Created by the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC), the Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) program is a tax credit that reduces tax liability. This reduction increases the amount of disposable income available to purchase a home. To qualify, homebuyers must meet program requirements, including income and home purchase price limits. For more information, contact the TSAHC at (888) 638-3555 or (512) 477-3555, or visit the TSAHC website.

Updated:  09/28/09