Ala. Admin. Code r. 300-4-10-.04

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 300-4-10-.04 - Definition Of Terms

(1) Academic Qualifications and Standing of Eligible Students. A student is considered academically qualified if he/she is an eligible teacher enrolled in an approved academic program or approved courses at an eligible institution. Each participant must maintain a "B" average on all work attempted while receiving Technology Scholarship Program for Alabama Teachers funds.

(2) Academic Year. The academic year for the Technology Scholarship Program for Alabama Teachers is from October 1 of one year to September 30 of the next year.

(3) Approved Academic Program. An approved academic program is defined as a program which

(a) is a graduate teacher education program;

(b) includes courses in the new technologies, as defined in .04(14), and which are taken sequentially, beginning with the first term of the program of studies unless the student is expressly authorized by Commission staff to take a course or courses other than the approved technology course during or after terms offered in January, 1994, because the required technology course is not offered or otherwise available at the eligible institution during the term;

(c) is offered at an eligible institution as defined in .04(6); and

(d) is approved for teacher certification by the State Department of Education.

(4) Approved Courses. Approved courses are defined as courses which

(a) are taken for credit or non-credit;

(b) address new technologies as defined in .04(14);

(c) are offered by institutions which are accredited, or are seeking accreditation, by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education; and,

(d) are approved for certification credit by the State Department of Education.

(5) Award. An award is a scholarship loan designed to cover direct education costs (tuition and mandatory fees) charged all students in the same course(s) or program of study, but not exceeding the maximum amount charged by any Alabama public institution of higher education for similar courses and programs of study, given by the State of Alabama to a TSPAT applicant who

(a) is an eligible student, as defined in .04(7);

(b) incurs a minimum cost of at least $100 in tuition and mandatory fee expenses, after deducting other benefits, as defined in .04(15), for which the TSPAT applicant is eligible to receive; and,

(c) takes approved courses as defined in .04(4), or, if the executive director of the Alabama commission on higher education determines sufficient funds are available, to provide coverage for approved academic programs of study as defined in .04(3).

(6) Eligible Institution. An eligible institution is a public or private Alabama postsecondary educational institution which

(a) is accredited, or is seeking accreditation, by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education;

(b) offers graduate teacher education programs approved by the State Board of Education;

(c) submits a complete memorandum of agreement with the Alabama Commission on Higher Education for institutional participation in the scholarship loan program; and,

(d) complies with all regulations of the Technology Scholarship Program for Alabama Teachers.

(7) Eligible Student. An eligible student is an applicant who completes a TSPAT application form and

(a) is enrolled in an approved academic program of study as defined in .04(3) or approved course(s) as defined in .04(4);

(b) is a regularly certified public school teacher in Alabama as defined in .04(8) and classified as a permanent resident of the State of Alabama;

(c) teaches in the fields of English, science, mathematics, social science, history, or pupils in kindergarten to grade six, inclusive;

(d) is a citizen of the United States, or is in the United States for other than a temporary purpose and intends to become a permanent resident of the State of Alabama;

(e) has a "B" average on all work attempted while receiving TSPAT funds;

(f) signs a letter of commitment to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education agreeing to teach three full years in an Alabama public school system after receiving a Master's Degree financed wholly with TSPAT funds;

(g) signs a binding contract which specifies that failure to complete the courses for which the scholarship loan is received will obligate the TSPAT recipient to repay the Alabama Commission on Higher Education the amount of the TSPAT award issued to the student for the term with interest assessed from the date the TSPAT award is received at the prevailing rate charged recipients of non-need-based federal guaranteed student loans;

(h) does not owe a refund on any Federal or State student grant previously received at any institution; and,

(i) is not in default on any Federal student loan, and/or has not borrowed in excess of the Federal student loan limits, under the Federal student aid programs, at any institution.

(8) Eligible Teacher. An eligible teacher is defined as a person who

(a) is regularly certified by the State Department of Education in the fields of English, science, mathematics, social science, history, early childhood education, elementary education, or middle school education, or other critical field identified by the State Board of Education when funds are available for teachers outside the first priority group as defined in .04(10);

(b) teaches English, science, mathematics, social science, history, or pupils in kindergarten through grade six, inclusive, or other critical field identified by the State Board of Education when funds are available for teachers outside the first priority group as defined in .04(10); and,

(c) is employed by an Alabama public school system as a full-time teacher.

(9) False Statement or Misrepresentation. Any person who knowingly makes or furnishes any false statement or misrepresentation knowing the same to be false, for the purpose of enabling an individual or institution to obtain monies wrongfully under this program, shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine or to imprisonment, or to both, as such misdemeanor is defined in Act No. 607, S.33 of the 1977 Regular Session (Acts 1977, No. 11, p. 812).

(10) First Priority Group. The first priority group includes those certified, full-time public school teachers in the fields of English, science, mathematics, social science, history, and those who teach pupils in kindergarten to grade six, inclusive.

(11) Graduate Courses. Graduate courses are defined as those courses offered at the post-baccalaureate level and offered by eligible institutions as defined in .04(6).

(12) Grandfather Category of Students. Students awarded Emergency Secondary Education Scholarship Program funds prior to October 1, 1993 and who continue to meet student eligibility criteria as defined in Chapter 300-4-5 of the student assistance regulations shall be considered as a grandfather category of students eligible to receive awards as specified in Chapter 300-4-5.

(13) Integrating Technology Skills in the Curriculum. For the purposes of the Technology Scholarship Program for Alabama Teachers, integrating technology skills in the curriculum is defined as the use of various technologies to restructure and enhance the day-to-day teaching and learning process. Restructuring the teaching and learning process encompasses multi-media instruction, computer-based instruction, video-based teaching, and distance learning.

(14) New Technologies. For the purposes of the Technology Scholarship Program for Alabama Teachers, new technologies are defined as multi-media instruction, computer-based instruction, video-based teaching, and distance learning.

(15) Other Benefits. For the purposes of the Technology Scholarship Program for Alabama Teachers, other benefits include all federal, state, institutional, local, and private grants, scholarships, fellowships, stipends, gifts, discounts, remissions, rebates, and other non-repayable resources available to the teacher and applicable toward the payment of a TSPAT applicant's tuition and fees during the period of enrollment at the institution.

(16) Refund Policies and Procedures:

(a) If a student transfers, or becomes ineligible for a TSPAT award during the academic term of the award and prior to the receipt of funds by the institution, the institutional aid administrator will return to the Commission any TSPAT funds received on behalf of the student for that term.

(b) If a student withdraws from the school or reduces his/her courseload after TSPAT funds are processed at an institution, but before the end of the academic term, and is not entitled to a refund in accordance with the institution's refund policy, the Commission will not require of the institution a refund of the TSPAT award used for payment of the institution's net charges to the student for the period of actual attendance. However, if the TSPAT award exceeds the amount of the tuition and fees charged to the student, the institution must return to the Commission the refund amount and maintain with the student's records documentation listing (1) the date the student withdrew, (2) the net institutional charges to the student for the period of the student's attendance, (3) the amount of the student's TSPAT award, and (4) the amount of refund due the Technology Scholarship Program for Alabama Teachers.

(17) Renewal of Awards. Awards may be renewed if the student continues to meet the eligibility requirements specified in .04(6) and submits a TSPAT application to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.

(18) Repayment of Scholarship-Loan Awards. A teacher must repay a TSPAT scholarship-loan award if he or she fails to complete a course or courses paid for in full or in part with TSPAT funds. Repayment in full on all scholarship-loans received must be completed within ten years, unless a shorter period of time is appropriate when minimum monthly payments of $100 per month plus interest would result in an earlier payoff. A teacher shall not be considered in violation of the repayment agreement entered into during any period in which he or she is serving, not in excess of 3 years, on active duty as a member of the armed services of the United States, or is temporarily totally disabled for a period not to exceed 3 years, as established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified physician. A teacher shall be excused from repayment of any assistance received under this program if the recipient dies, as established by a certified death certificate, or if the recipient becomes permanently totally disabled, as established by the sworn affidavit of a qualified physician.

(19) Scholarship-Loan. A scholarship-loan is an award of at least $100 issued by the State of Alabama to a TSPAT applicant who is an eligible student, as defined in .04(7).

(20) Student Application Procedure. Each applicant for a TSPAT award must submit to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education a Technology Scholarship Program for Alabama Teachers student application form. Priority consideration will be given to applicants who submit completed applications to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education by January 1, 1994, for the 1993-94 academic year and June 1 thereafter for subsequent academic years.

(21) Transfer Student. Each Technology Scholarship Program for Alabama Teachers award is made on the basis of the student applicant's attending the postsecondary educational institution listed on his/her student application form. A TSPAT applicant who elects to transfer to another educational institution may apply for a TSPAT award in accordance with the student application procedure. A TSPAT award is not transferable from one educational institution to another.

(22) Tuition and Fees. Tuition and fees are defined as the direct educational charges and mandatory fees charged all students for enrollment in the program or courses as stated in the institution's catalog.

Author:

Ala. Admin. Code r. 300-4-10-.04

New Rule: Filed November 7, 1997; effective December 12, 1997.

Statutory Authority: Act 93-636; Act No. 607, S.33 of the 1977 Regular Session (Acts 1977, No. 11, p. 812).