The U.S. Department of Education (ED) today announced changes to the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program, the only federal student aid grant program that directly benefits teachers working in high-need fields and underserved schools. ED implemented the changes as the Biden-Harris Administration proposes further enhancements to the program through theAmerican Families Plan, which would double the annual grant amount, increase program flexibilities, address high grant-to-loan conversion rates, and ensure better outcomes for teachers and students.
"Our teachers are champions of students' potential and stewards of their success. Respecting and honoring teachers who serve students with the greatest needs also requires that we ensure these educators receive the support to which they are entitled from this important federal program without having to jump through unnecessary hoops," said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. "The changes announced today deliver much-needed improvements to the TEACH Grant. And, through the American Families Plan, even greater investments will be made in the program to strengthen teacher pipelines into the profession, support teacher retention, and address critical teacher shortages so that every child across America can be taught by well-prepared and outstanding educators."
About the TEACH Grant Program
The TEACH Grant Program provides grants of up to $4,000 each year to students who are completing or plan to complete course work needed to begin a teaching career. Unlike other federal student grants, the TEACH Grant requires recipients to agree to complete four years of teaching in a high-need field and underserved school as a condition for receiving the grant.
For each year that a TEACH Grant is awarded, the recipient must complete online counseling that explains the terms and conditions of the grant and sign an agreement in which the recipient agrees to teach at a school or educational service agency that serves students from low-income backgrounds, and in a high-need field.
Before today, if a recipient did not complete the required four years of teaching within an eight-year period—referred to as the service obligation—or submit the required documentation within eight years after graduating from or otherwise stop attending the school where the TEACH Grant was awarded, the TEACH Grant was converted into a Direct Unsubsidized Loan that must be repaid in full. The loan included interest accumulated from the grant's disbursement date.
Program Changes Now in Effect
The TEACH Grant Program rules now provide greater flexibility and processes remove pain points grant recipients previously experienced navigating the program. Among the regulatory changes taking effect today:
- TEACH Grant Exit Counseling is required, and the counseling will inform recipients that the TEACH Grant servicer, FedLoan Servicing, will now send detailed annual notifications to recipients that include service obligation requirements and timelines, documentation reminders, accrued interest estimates, and explanations about the reconversion process.
- TEACH Grant recipients will no longer have their grants converted to loans if they do not certify that they have begun teaching or intend to begin teaching within 120 days of graduating or withdrawing from school, and there is no requirement for recipients to certify their intent to teach within 120 days of graduating or separating from school.
- If TEACH Grant recipients do not certify at the end of each year of teaching completed, their grants are not converted to loans until they do not have enough time to complete the required four years of service within the eight-year deadline.
- ED expanded the reasons that a TEACH Grant recipient's service obligation may be suspended for a period of time and a TEACH Grant recipient may teach for less than a full academic year, but still receive credit for the full academic year.
- ED simplified program requirements to allow TEACH Grant recipients to group together undergraduate and graduate service obligations, when possible.
- The reconsideration process is now open to all TEACH Grant recipients whose grants have converted to loans.
- The program changes provide additional relief for recipients whose TEACH Grants were converted to loans in error.
In addition to the TEACH Grant Program changes, ED's office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) launched new and improved digital forms and resources to help guide and inform TEACH Grant recipients. FSA updated existing TEACH Grant counseling features and theAgreement to Serve or Repayand added a new counseling feature, TEACH Grant Conversion Counseling. This counseling feature provides information about the conditions under which a TEACH Grant is converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
American Families Plan Proposals to Enhance the TEACH Program
The Biden-Harris Administration introduced TEACH Grant Program enhancements as part of the American Families Plan that build on the improvements implemented today, while continuing to address teacher shortages in high-need fields such as special education, career and technical education, science, technology, engineering, and math. The proposed plan also aims to increase the access that students from low-income backgrounds and students of color have to comprehensive teacher preparation.
The American Families Plan would double the TEACH Grant amount from $4,000 to $8,000 per year for juniors, seniors, and graduate students, in addition to the $4,000 students would receive in their freshman and sophomore year. The plan also aims to increase access to the program by removing the grade point average requirement and expanding it to early childhood educators that go on to serve in programs that disproportionately serve students from low-income backgrounds. Increasing the award amount will align the grant with the average cost of undergraduate education and ensure that teacher candidates have access to comprehensive programs that support effective teaching and that they can enter and remain in the profession without burdensome loans or debt. These changes are expected to increase the number of recipients by more than 50 percent to nearly 40,000 in 2022. In Academic Year 2019–20, nearly 27,000 students at more than 740 institutions received awards through the TEACH Grant Program.
The American Families Plan would also reduce the repayment burden on recipients who do not complete their service requirement through reforms including:
- Not capitalizing interest upon conversion to a loan;
- Reducing the amount that converts to a loan for years of service completed; and
- Allowing promotions into schoolwide roles (e.g., principal) in a high-needs school to count toward the service obligation.
Finally, the American Families Plan would ensure better outcomes for recipients and the students they teach by phasing in quality guardrails on program eligibility based on grant recipient outcomes.
The program changes are now reflected on the TEACH Grant Program page atStudentAid.gov/teachand on the TEACH Grant loan servicer's website. The servicer will contact grant recipients affected by the program changes.
In addition to doublingthe TEACH Grant award, the American Families Plan (AFP)includes proposals to support teachers and build a diverse teacher pipeline. The plan includes $2.8 billion ininvestments inGrow Your Own programs and year-long, paid teacher residency programs, which have a greater impact on student outcomes, teacher retention, and are more likely to enroll teacher candidates of color.Additionally, the AFPtargets $400 million for teacher preparation atHistorically Black Colleges and Universities,Tribal Colleges and Universities, andminority-serving institutionsand $900 million for the development of special education teachers. The AFPinvests $2 billion to support programs that leverage teachers as leaders, such asserving as mentors inhigh-quality mentorship programs for new teachers and teachers of color.The AFP will also support over 100,000 current teachers in answering the call to support their school communities by earning additional certifications in high-demand areas like special education and bilingual education. Learn more about the American Families Plan atWhiteHouse.gov.
FAQs
Will teach grants be forgiven? ›
After completing five years of consecutive, full-time teaching service, you can submit an application for loan forgiveness. Generally, teachers can receive $5,000 in loan forgiveness maximum. However, educators who teach math, science subjects or special education can receive up to $17,500 in forgiveness.
Is the Teach grant worth it? ›Is the TEACH Grant worth it? Each individual needs to consider carefully if the service obligation attached to the TEACH Grant makes the $4,000 in financial assistance worth it to them. If they don't want to live or teach in an area that services low-income students they may find this program isn't a good fit for them.
What is different about the teach grant that you don t find in other grants? ›A Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is different from other federal student grants because it requires you agree to complete a teaching service obligation as a condition for receiving the grant, and if you don't complete the service obligation, the TEACH Grant will be converted ...
What will the teach grant convert to if the student does not meet the terms of agreement to serve? ›If you do not meet the terms and conditions of your TEACH Grant service obligation, all TEACH Grants you received will be converted to Direct Unsubsidized Loans that you must repay in full to the U.S. Department of Education, with interest charged from the date that each TEACH Grant you received was disbursed (paid out ...
What is the TEACH grant controversy? ›Some early red flags were raised a few years ago by the Government Accountability Office. The GAO investigated the TEACH grant program and noted that teachers were improperly having their grants taken away. At least 2,252 grants were erroneously converted to loans by the servicer.
Can you get the TEACH grant and Teacher Loan Forgiveness? ›You can potentially receive forgiveness under both the Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF) program and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. But normally you can't receive forgiveness for both programs for the same period of teaching service.
What is the interest rate on TEACH grant? ›If a TEACH Grant that is first disbursed to a graduate or professional student during this period is later converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan, the interest rate will be 4.30% for the life of the loan.
Is a TEACH grant the same as a Pell grant? ›Pell Grants offer free aid to undergraduate students who haven't yet earned a degree but demonstrate financial need. Unlike the TEACH Grant, there is no service obligation. However, you will need to complete your education program and meet enrollment and academic performance requirements.
Are grant programs legit? ›Legitimate grants do not show up at your door as a surprise—you have to apply for them. So, if you are offered a grant you know nothing about, most likely it is a scam. Is a fee involved? Grant applications are usually free as they are sourced at the federal or state/county level with public funds.
What are the two types of grant programs? ›When considering grants, these programs can be broadly categorized as those awarded by the federal government and those awarded by non-federal entities. Within these two categories are a variety of funding sources and program types.
What can I buy with a classroom grant? ›
Many teachers spend their classroom supply funds on basic items such as printer ink, pens, pencils, paper, paperclips, sticky notes, and staples. These types of supplies should really be supplied by the school. Classroom supply money should be dedicated to teaching materials.
What are the three kinds of grants offered by the US Department of Education? ›The U.S. Department of Education provides three types of grants: discretionary grants (awarded using a competitive process), student loans or grants (to help students pursue and attend postsecondary education), and formula grants (uses formulas determined by Congress and has no application process).
What are the disadvantages of student grants? ›Cons of College Grants
There are fewer grant options compared to scholarships because grants are mostly based on financial-need. It's possible to get more than one grant based on your financial-need, field of study, and other qualifiers. There are limited funds to provide and grants can be highly competitive.
The TEACH grant is not included in financial aid offers but can be offered retroactively to eligible students during the award year.
How do you teach students not to be entitled? ›Entitled students often aren't used to having boundaries set for their behavior, so it's essential to be clear and consistent in your classroom. Develop rules that everyone must follow. Come up with these as a class and require everyone to agree to them. Create consequences and enforce them—no exceptions.
Why doesn t grant like teaching? ›He has no faith in anything and does not believe he can teach anybody anything. He doesn't believe that things will ever change.
What grades does grant teach in his classroom? ›Grant's classroom is held inside the church. The students use the pews for their studies during the weekdays, and their parents use the same benches to sit on during their church meetings. He teaches all levels, ''from primer to sixth grade.
How long has the Teach Grant been around? ›In 2007, Congress authorized the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant program as a part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act.
Do teachers get all their student loans forgiven? ›Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF)
TLF forgives up to $17,500 of your Direct or Federal Stafford Loans after 5 complete and consecutive years of teaching at a qualifying school. To qualify for TLF, you must have been employed as a full-time teacher at an eligible school for five complete and consecutive academic years, and.
2. Teacher Loan Forgiveness. Forgives up to $17,500 of your Direct or FFEL Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loans after 5 complete and consecutive years of teaching at a qualifying school. View complete program details at StudentAid.gov/teach-forgive.
How do I know if I qualify for student loan forgiveness? ›
The income limits are based on your adjusted gross income (AGI) in either the 2020 or 2021 tax year. People who earned less than $125,000 annually (or $250,000 if filing taxes jointly) are eligible. If you qualify in either of those years, you can get forgiveness.
Do you have to pay back a Pell Grant? ›A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid, except under certain circumstances. Find out why you might have to repay all or part of a federal grant. You may not receive Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time.
Are teach loans federal? ›The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is a federal financial aid program that can help you pay for college if you're considering a career as a teacher.
Is the Golden State Teacher grant taxable? ›Will I have to claim the GSTG on my taxes? The GSTG award amount should be included on your annual 1098-T form if the grant was directly applied to your tuition and fees by your institution. It is recommended that you speak with a tax professional for any tax inquiries beyond this information.
How much is the Golden State Teacher Grant Award? ›The 2019-20 California State Budget established the Golden State Teacher Grant (GSTG) Program. The GSTG Program, administered by the California Student Aid Commission (Commission), awards up to $20,000 to students who meet eligibility requirements.
What is Golden State Teacher Grant? ›The Golden State Teacher Grant Program (GSTG) awards up to $20,000 to students currently enrolled in a professional preparation program approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and working towards earning their preliminary teaching or pupil personnel services credential.
Who qualifies for Golden State Grant? ›To be eligible for the GSTG, a student must meet the following eligibility criteria: Be currently enrolled in a California-based professional preparation program approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). Be working toward a preliminary teaching or pupil personnel services credential.
What are 3 pros and 3 cons about grants? ›- Pros of Business Grants.
- Free Money. The number one advantage of business grants is that they are essentially free money. ...
- Accessible Info. ...
- Waterfall Effect. ...
- Gain Credibility. ...
- Cons of Business Grants.
- Time-Consuming. ...
- Difficult to Receive.
Offers of free money from government grants are scams. Someone might offer you a grant to pay for education, home repairs, home business expenses, or unpaid bills. But they're all scams.
Should I pay back the grant? ›A grant is money that you don't have to pay back – however, it is important to know that if you receive more funding than you are eligible for, you could have a grant overpayment. Common reasons for a grant overpayment include: A change to your start or end dates.
What is the most popular type of grant today? ›
Program/project grants
This is the most common type of grant.
- The government - often federal, sometimes state, and occasionally local.
- Private businesses and corporations.
- Foundations, which distribute many millions of dollars per year to community groups and organizations similar to yours.
After completing five years of consecutive, full-time teaching service, you can submit an application for loan forgiveness. Generally, teachers can receive $5,000 in loan forgiveness maximum. However, educators who teach math, science subjects or special education can receive up to $17,500 in forgiveness.
Do teachers get a budget for their classroom? ›According to surveys in 2018 and 2021 from the organization Adopt A Classroom, teachers across the country have an average annual classroom budget of $212—it's rarely enough to cover basic supplies like paper, printer ink, pencils, and notebooks—and end up spending about $750 of their own cash to make up for the gap.
Is financial aid the same as grants? ›A grant is a form of financial aid that doesn't have to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund, or you receive a TEACH Grant and don't complete your service obligation).
What are examples of grants in aid? ›The national Medicaid program is a very well-known federal grant-in-aid program, and it is the largest of the federal grant-in-aid programs given to states. 2 While Medicaid is administered by individual states, the federal government provides the funding.
How many students per year benefit from federal student aid? ›In total, the federal government distributes $29.6 billion in grant money among 42.6% of college students nationwide. Undergraduates eligible for Federal Pell Grants may receive between $639 and $6,345 each; the average award is $3,900. 6.8 million college students receive Federal Pell Grants.
Do student grants affect taxes? ›Are grants taxable?” The good news is that your scholarship and grant are not taxable if the money was for study or research for a degree-seeking student who spent the funds to pay qualified expenses at an eligible educational organization.
What are some typical reasons why grants do not get funded? ›- Lack of commitment by applicant (insufficient time allocated)
- Applicant failure to follow instructions.
- Applicant use of outdated application format/instructions.
- Ideas proposed not relevant to funding agency mission.
- Little or no programmatic relevance because of…
Funds undergraduate research
A higher education grant paves the way for students to pursue research in important fields, like healthcare, social reform, and technology. Each grant given has impact as students grow confident in their ability to affect and change the future.
Can former teachers get loan forgiveness? ›
You apply for teacher loan forgiveness by submitting a completed Teacher Loan Forgiveness Application to your loan servicer after you have completed the required five consecutive years of qualifying teaching.
Can a teach grant be converted to a loan? ›If your TEACH Grant is converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan, you will receive a 6-month grace period that begins on the day after your grant is converted to a loan. During the grace period: You are not required to make payments on your loan. Interest will continue to accrue.
What can teachers do about disrespectful students? ›Take a trauma-informed approach. Rather than blaming and accusing the student for their behavior, take a step back and consider that they are struggling in some way. Even if we don't know the reasons for the struggles, it's helpful to have empathy always. Be consistent with expectations.
How do you control disrespectful students? ›- Intervene at the first sign of trouble. ...
- Address student in private. ...
- Plan ahead. ...
- Be clear about rules, expectations, and consequences. ...
- Remain calm. ...
- Praise positive behavior.
- Use wish fulfillment to set limits. ...
- Treat everyone equally. ...
- Feel a little compassion for them. ...
- Be inclusive, even of entitled people. ...
- Remember there's only so much you can do.
Pell Grants offer free aid to undergraduate students who haven't yet earned a degree but demonstrate financial need. Unlike the TEACH Grant, there is no service obligation. However, you will need to complete your education program and meet enrollment and academic performance requirements.
Did Biden forgive teacher student loans? ›Fortunately, there are several student loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs available, both through the federal government and various state agencies—including President Joe Biden's August 2022 announcement that millions of federal loan borrowers (teachers included) would receive $10,000 to $20,000 in ...
Can you cancel Teach grant? ›A TEACH Grant service obligation can be canceled (discharged) if you die or become totally and permanently disabled, or if you have an extended period of qualifying active-duty military service.
What is the difference between a grant and a Pell Grant? ›Pell Grants are federal grants and Cal Grants are state grants. Both are for students with financial need. Some Cal Grants have a minimum GPA requirement while federal Pell Grants do not.
What is the difference between a Pell Grant and a FAFSA grant? ›As previously mentioned, the FAFSA is an application that students must fill out if they are interested in applying for any federal student aid including scholarships, work-study, grants, and federal student loans. A Pell grant is a type of aid, awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional financial need.
Is Biden being sued over student loans? ›
The Biden administration is facing another lawsuit over extending the pandemic-related pause on federal student loan payments. The pause is set to end later this year, but the plaintiffs want the moratorium to end immediately.
What is the average student debt for a teacher? ›Within the 45 percent of all educators who have taken out a loan, the average total amount of student loans among educators was $55,800, with 30 percent taking out $65,000 or more (Figure 2). 7 More than 1 in 10 educators (11%) took out $105,000 or more in student loans.
What student loans qualify for forgiveness? ›What is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program? The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program forgives the remaining balance on your federal student loans after 120 payments working full time for federal, state, Tribal, or local government; the military; or a qualifying non-profit.
Can teachers get all their loans forgiven? ›Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF)
TLF forgives up to $17,500 of your Direct or Federal Stafford Loans after 5 complete and consecutive years of teaching at a qualifying school. To qualify for TLF, you must have been employed as a full-time teacher at an eligible school for five complete and consecutive academic years, and.
If you're a teacher at a private school that is a nonprofit organization, you could qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Under this program, you must work for a qualifying nonprofit organization or government agency for 10 years and make qualifying payments toward your loans.
Do grants count as student loans? ›Most types of grants, unlike loans, are sources of financial aid that generally do not have to be repaid. Grants can come from the federal government, your state government, your college or career school, or a private or nonprofit organization.
Are teach grants taxable? ›A grant is tax-free only if: You are a candidate for a degree at an eligible educational institution, and. You use the grant to pay qualified educational expenses, and. The grant isn't a payment for time spent researching, testing, teaching, etc.
Can you withdraw from student teaching? ›Students may only withdraw from student teaching one time. If it is necessary to withdraw a second time then the student must go through the SSCP petitioning process to reapply a 3rd time and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Can you request that your teach grant be converted to a direct unsubsidized loan for any reason? ›You can request that your TEACH Grant be converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan for any reason. Contact the TEACH Grant servicer, MOHELA, online or at 888-866-4352. Complete TEACH Grant conversion counseling to learn what comes next with converting your grant to a loan.