Florida Department of Education Office of Student Financial Assistance OSFA

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Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance (OSFA)
Critical Teacher Shortage Programs
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Critical Teacher Shortage (CTS) Programs

• OSFA currently administers two programs to
  assist teachers in Florida publicly-funded
  schools
• The Critical Teacher Shortage Student Loan
  Forgiveness Program (CTS-LF)
• The Critical Teacher Shortage Tuition
  Reimbursement Program (CTS-TR)

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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CTS Loan Forgiveness Program (CTS-LF)

• Established to encourage qualified personnel to
  seek employment in subject areas in which
  critical shortage areas exist in the State of
  Florida.
• Provides assistance with loan repayment to
  certified teachers who are, for their first year,
  both certified in a CTS area and teaching in the
  same CTS area at a Florida publicly-funded
  school.

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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CTS-LF Program Requirements

• Teachers must
• Apply by July 15th of their 1st year of having a
  temporary or permanent CTS Certification and CTS
  position.
• Be both certified in and teaching in the same
  critical teacher shortage area for their 1st
  year.
• Endorsements are not eligible.
• Temporary Certifications are eligible.
• Teach in a publicly funded school.
• Have taught a full school year in a Florida
  publicly-funded school (180 or more days).
• An applicant who completes at least 90 days, but
  less than 180 days of teaching may be eligible to
  receive half of a yearly prorated award.

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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 Certification Areas forCTS-LF

• Middle and High School Level Mathematics
• Middle and High School Level Science
• Reading
• English for Speakers of Other Languages
• Foreign Languages
• School Psychology
• Technology Education - Industrial Arts

• Exceptional Student Education Programs (ESE)
  includes the following certification areas  
• Autism
• Emotionally Handicapped
• ESE
• Hearing Impaired
• Mentally Handicapped
• Physically Impaired
• Specific Learning Disabled
• Speech Language Impaired
• Varying Exceptionalities
• Visually Impaired

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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CTS-LF Program Award Amounts

• Awards may be prorated at less than the full
  award amount
• Award amounts are
• Based on annual funding appropriated by the
  Florida Legislature
• Full awards for loans received prior to becoming
  a CTS certified teacher differ between Bachelor
  and Graduate degrees received and may be
• Up to 2,500 per year to repay undergraduate
  loans
• Up to 5,000 per year to repay graduate loans
  resulting in a graduate degree
• Contingent upon the annual number of eligible
  applicants
• Granted once per year in late fall
• Participants may receive up to a maximum of
  10,000 for the duration of the program

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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CTS-LF Program Qualifying Loans

• The award amount is based on the unpaid principal
  balance due on educational loans as of June 30
  immediately preceding the applicant's date of
  employment as a first-year, full-time teacher
  certified in a CTS Area.  
• Applicants who receive an award continue to be
  responsible for meeting repayment obligations to
  the lender.  
• Teachers/Applicants are financially obligated for
  their loans and must continue to make regularly
  scheduled payments.

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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CTS Tuition ReimbursementProgram (CTS-TR)

• Established to improve the skills and knowledge
  of current teachers or certified personnel
  preparing to teach in a critical teacher
  shortage.
• Provides assistance to certified teachers in
  Florida publicly-funded schools to obtain an
  endorsement, certification, or a graduate degree
  in a critical teacher shortage area.

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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CTS-TR Requirements

• Applicant must be
• Employee working in a publicly-funded school
• Certified to teach any subject in the state
• Taking college credit courses in critical
  shortage areas leading to
• Advanced Degree, or
• New Certification Area
• Certification in a CTS area
• Endorsement in a CTS area

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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CTS-TR for Certified Employees Seeking
Certification in

• Middle and High School Level Mathematics
• Middle and High School Level Science
• Reading
• English for Speakers of Other Languages
• Foreign Languages
• School Psychology
• Technology Education - Industrial Arts

• Exceptional Student Education Programs (ESE)
  includes the following certification areas  
• Autism
• Emotionally Handicapped
• ESE
• Hearing Impaired
• Mentally Handicapped
• Physically Impaired
• Specific Learning Disabled
• Speech and Language Impaired
• Varying Exceptionalities
• Visually Impaired

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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CTS-TR for Certified Employees Seeking
Endorsement in

• In addition to the certifications listed on the
  previous slide, CTS-TR provides funds for the
  following endorsement areas
• Autism
• English for Speakers of Other Languages
• Gifted
• Orientation and Mobility
• Pre-Kindergarten Disabilities
• Reading
• Severe or Profound Handicapped/Disabilities
• American Sign Language

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Eligible CTS-TR Courses

• Courses taken during the current academic year
  (e.g. fall 2007, spring summer 2008), for
  college credit which lead to
• Certification or Endorsement in a CTS area, or
• A graduate degree in a CTS area
• Courses must be passed with a minimum of 3.0 on a
  4.0 scale.  
• Courses taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory or
  pass/fail basis require validation by the
  postsecondary institution as equivalent to a B
  or above.

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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CTS-TR Program Award Amounts

• Full awards for tuition reimbursement may be an
  amount
• Up to 78 cost per credit hour.
• Up to 9 credit/semester hours, or the equivalent
  in quarter hours per academic year.
• Granted once per year.
• CTS-TR awards may be prorated at less than the
  full award amount depending upon both the
• Annual funding appropriated by the Florida
  Legislature
• Annual number of eligible applicants
• The program maximum is 36 cumulative credit hours
  or the equivalent, regardless of proration.

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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OSFA Website

• For more program details, visit the OSFA website
  at http//www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org
• Select
• "State Grants, Scholarships Applications,"
• "Programs Offered," and then
• Click on any of the programs listed to view the
  program's fact sheet

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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State Programs Teacher Application

• To begin the application process, complete and
  submit our online application available at
  https//www.FloridaStudentFinancialAidsg.org/ua/SA
  WTCHR_teacherform.asp
• OSFAs Customer Service Representatives are
  available to answer questions about the Florida
  Critical Teacher Shortage Loan Forgiveness and
  Tuition Reimbursement programs toll free at
  1-888-827-2004

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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The CTS Application

• http//www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org
• Select "State Grants, Scholarships
  Applications"
• Select Apply Here
  Select Initial State Teacher
  Application

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Before You Begin the Teacher Application
DO NOT Skip this IMPORTANT Information
After reading 1 - 5 of the Before You Begin
pages, you may proceed to the Teacher Application
Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Completing the Teacher Application
Read the Certification/Permission Section before
Submitting Application
Submit the Application Online
Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Print a Copy of Application
After Completing all Required Fields of the
Application and Submitting the Application, print
a copy of your application and retain for your
records.
Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Print Your Saved Results
Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Read Your Responsibilities
Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Documents Certifications Required
07/15/2008
09/15/2008
Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Check on the Status of your Application
Certifications
Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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View Your Certifications
Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Employment Certifications

• Employment Certification Must be Completed
• By the Employer
• Prior to Awarding

2007-08
2007-08
Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Lender Certification
06/30/2007
Not Complete indicates that certification has
NOT been received
Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Lender/Servicing Agent Changes

• Lenders and servicing agents frequently change
  due to
• Sale of loan(s)
• Change of Servicing Agent(s)
• Consolidation
• Inform OSFA at our toll free 1-888-827-2004
  IMMEDIATELY if any changes occur following your
  initial application to the CTS-LF program.

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Awarding

• Eligibility and award amounts are determined in
  late fall.
• Eligible teachers receive an award letter stating
  the amount to be received.
• The award letter for
• CTS-LF lists the lender(s)/servicing agent(s) to
  whom the award check will be made.
• CTS-TR lists the course names and credit hours
  reimbursed.

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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CTS-LF Award Letters

• This letter is the awardees opportunity to inform
  OSFA of corrections to be made before checks are
  cut.
• It is CRITICAL that awardees inform OSFA of
  changes to
• Name
• Address
• Email
• Lenders/Servicing Agents

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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CTS-TR Award Letters

• This letter is the awardees opportunity to inform
  OSFA of corrections to be made before checks are
  cut.
• It is CRITICAL that awardees inform OSFA of any
  missing information and changes to
• Name
• Address
• Email

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Federal Student Aid (FSA)Teacher Loan
Forgiveness Program

• FSA has a Federal Program for full-time teachers,
  which may be used in conjunction with the state
  program and has different requirements.
• For example, the Federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness
  program requires teaching five consecutive years
  in a (Title I) designated low-income school.
• Application to the program may be made after the
  five years of teaching service have been
  completed.
• Visit the FSA website at http//studentaid.ed.gov/
  PORTALSWebApp/students/english/cancelstaff.jsp?ta
  brepaying for qualifications and a listing of
  low-income schools
• For more information on the Federal Loan
  Forgiveness Program please contact Karen Hurrell
  at Karen.Hurrell_at_fldoe.org or [phone]

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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Educator Certification

• Bureau of Educator Certification
• http//www.fldoe.org/edcert
• Florida Certification Coverage's
• http//www.fldoe.org/edcert/subjlist.aspacademic
• Customer Service
• Toll free Number 1-800-445-6739
• edcert_at_fldoe.org
• Florida Department of EducationBureau of
  Educator CertificationSuite 201, Turlington
  Building325 West Gaines StreetTallahassee,
  Florida 32399-0400

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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State CTS Program Information

• http//www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/
• Provides details regarding each CTS program
• Customer Service
• Toll free Number 1-888-827-2004
• osfa_at_fldoe.org 
• Program Contacts
• Catherine Hall, Program Director
• Catherine.Hall_at_fldoe.org
• Mark Koch, Program Specialist
• Mark.Koch_at_fldoe.org

Florida Department of Education Office of
Student Financial Assistance Critical Teacher
Shortage Programs for the 2008-09 Award year
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