The purpose of the program is to recruit and retain certified classroom teachers in fields and communities having a shortage of teachers in Texas.

Eligibility Requirements

	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 (fax copies are not accepted) and;
	Be currently teaching full-time at the preschool, primary, or secondary level in a Texas public school, and;
	Be certified in and teach full-time in a field identified by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as experiencing a shortage of teachers during the academic year for which the application is submitted,
	or
	Be certified and teach full-time at a campus identified by TEA as having a shortage of teachers during the academic year for which the application is submitted

Annual Repayment Amounts

The maximum annual repayment amount is $5,000, and the aggregate maximum is $20,000. Participation in the program is limited to 5 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. Loan repayments through the program will depend upon the availability of funds. Repayments under this program are considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service and will be reported as such by THECB. 

Eligible Loans

	Must be evidenced by a promissory note which explicitly required the loan proceeds to be used to pay the costs incurred by attending a public or private institution of higher education;
	Must have an outstanding balance that is currently not being repaid through another loan repayment program, and;
	Must not be in default status

Shortage Areas

Designated Shortage Campuses:

Shortage Campus Designation for 2009-2010

Note: The federal Title I designation is not used to determine campus eligibility for this program. Shortage campus designation is determined annually based on information provided by Texas Education Agency.

Designated Shortage Fields:

Mathematics, Science, Special Education, Languages other than English, Bilingual/English as a Second Language, and Technology Applications (Technology {Computer} Applications, Computer Science I, Computer Science II, Desktop Publishing, Digital Graphics, Multimedia, Video Technology, Web Mastering and Independent Study in Technology Applications). 

The application period for the 2009-2010 academic year is now closed. An application for the 2010-2011 academic year will become available April 2011.

Check the status of your application online

Questions? Please view our Frequently Asked Questions.

For more information, please email us or call THECB at 1-800-242-3062 (outside Austin), or at 512-427-6340 (Austin area).