Quality Educator Loan Forgiveness Program

by Jackie Boyle
4/29/08

The Montana legislature has authorized a Quality Educator Loan Assistance Program for K-12 educators and licensed professionals.

The program provides for the direct repayment of educational loans. The total loan repayment assistance may not exceed $3,000 per year for up to four years. The Legislative appropriation of $350,000 in FY2008 will allow for 100-120 educators to receive repayment. Qualified applicants will be ranked based on a scoring system that takes into account the impacted schools and academic areas.

To qualify for loan assistance an educator must be:

• A full-time educator holding a valid educator license or a licensed professional providing services to students in a school district, an education cooperative, the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind, the Montana Youth Challenge Program or a state youth correctional facility.
• Teaching in an impacted school. These schools tend to be rural and isolated, have a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students, and/or have greater challenges in closing the achievement gap. A list of qualifying schools is available at http://www.opi.mt.gov/PUB/PDF/Cert/ImpactedSchools_CQESRpt.pdf
• Teaching in an impacted academic area. These areas are Music, Mathematics, Special Education, Science, Speech/Language Pathologist, World Languages, School Counselor, Library/ Media, and Business.

Applications and instructions are available online at http://www.mgslp.org and must be received at the Montana Guaranteed Student Loan Program, 2500 Broadway, Helena, MT 59601 no later than May 31, 2008.

Questions regarding the program and application process may be directed to Montana Guaranteed Student Loan Program at 800-537-7508.