Scope, Purpose, and General Definitions

34 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart A
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

34 C.F.R. § 686.1 Scope and purpose.

The TEACH Grant program awards grants to students who intend to teach, to help meet the cost of their postsecondary education. In exchange for the grant, the student must agree to serve as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a school serving low-income students, or as a full-time teacher in a high-need field for an educational service agency serving low-income students, for at least four academic years within eight years of ceasing enrollment at the institution where the student received the grant or, in the case of a student who receives a TEACH Grant at one institution and subsequently transfers to another institution and enrolls in another TEACH Grant-eligible program, within eight years of ceasing enrollment at the other institution. The eight-year period for completing the required four years of teaching does not include periods of suspension in accordance with § 686.41. If the student does not satisfy the service obligation, the amounts of the TEACH Grants received are treated as a Direct Unsubsidized Loan and must be repaid with interest charged from the date of each TEACH Grant disbursement. A TEACH Grant that has been converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan can be reconverted to a grant only in accordance with § 686.43.

34 C.F.R. § 686.2 Definitions.

(a) Definitions for the following terms used in this part are in the regulations for Institutional Eligibility under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, (HEA) 34 CFR part 600: (b) Definitions for the following terms used in this part are in subpart A of the Student Assistance General Provisions, 34 CFR part 668: (c) Definitions for the following terms used in this part are in 34 CFR part 77: (d) Other terms used in this part are defined as follows: Academic year or its equivalent for elementary and secondary schools (elementary or secondary academic year): (1) One complete school year, or two complete and consecutive half-years from different school years, excluding summer sessions, that generally fall within a 12-month period. (2) If a school has a year-round program of instruction, the Secretary considers a minimum of nine consecutive months to be the equivalent of an academic year. Agreement to serve or repay: An agreement under which the individual receiving a TEACH Grant commits to meet the service obligation or repay the loan as described in § 686.12 and to comply with notification and other provisions of the agreement. Annual award: The maximum TEACH Grant amount a student would receive for enrolling as a full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time, or less-than-half-time student and remaining in that enrollment status for a year. Bilingual education: An educational program in which two languages are used to provide content matter instruction. Educational service agency: A regional public multiservice agency authorized by State statute to develop, manage, and provide services or programs to local educational agencies (LEAs). Elementary school: A nonprofit institutional day or residential school, including a public elementary charter school, that provides elementary education, as determined under State law. English language acquisition: The process of acquiring English as a second language. Full-time teacher: A teacher who meets the standard used by a State in defining full-time employment as a teacher. For an individual teaching in more than one school, the determination of full-time is based on the combination of all qualifying employment. High-need field: Includes the following: (1) Bilingual education and English language acquisition. (2) Foreign language. (3) Mathematics. (4) Reading specialist. (5) Science, including, but not limited to, computer science. (6) Special education. (7) Another field documented as high-need by the Federal Government, a State government or an LEA, and approved by the Secretary and listed in the Department's annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing (Nationwide List). Highly qualified: Has the meaning set forth in paragraphs (i) through (iv) of this definition, or the meaning set forth in section 602(10) of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. (i) When used with respect to any public elementary school or secondary school teacher in a State, means that— (A) The teacher has obtained full State certification as a teacher (including certification obtained through alternative routes to certification) or passed the State teacher licensing examination, and holds a license to teach in such State, except that when used with respect to any teacher teaching in a public charter school, the term means that the teacher meets the requirements set forth in the State's public charter school law; and (B) The teacher has not had certification or licensure requirements waived on an emergency, temporary, or provisional basis. (ii) When used with respect to— (A) An elementary school teacher who is new to the profession, means that the teacher— (1) Holds at least a bachelor's degree; and (2) Has demonstrated, by passing a rigorous State test, subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum (which may consist of passing a State-required certification or licensing test or tests in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum); or (B) A middle or secondary school teacher who is new to the profession, means that the teacher holds at least a bachelor's degree and has demonstrated a high level of competency in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches by— (1) Passing a rigorous State academic subject test in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches (which may consist of a passing level of performance on a State-required certification or licensing test or tests in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches); or (2) Successful completion, in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches, of an academic major, a graduate degree, coursework equivalent to an undergraduate academic major, or advanced certification or credentialing. (iii) When used with respect to an elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher who is not new to the profession, means that the teacher holds at least a bachelor's degree and— (A) Has met the applicable standard in paragraph (ii) of this definition, which includes an option for a test; or (B) Demonstrates competence in all the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches based on a highly objective uniform State standard of evaluation that— (1) Is set by the State for both grade-appropriate academic subject matter knowledge and teaching skills; (2) Is aligned with challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards and developed in consultation with core content specialists, teachers, principals, and school administrators; (3) Provides objective, coherent information about the teacher's attainment of core content knowledge in the academic subjects in which a teacher teaches; (4) Is applied uniformly to all teachers in the same academic subject and the same grade level throughout the State; (5) Takes into consideration, but is not based primarily on, the time the teacher has been teaching in the academic subject; (6) Is made available to the public upon request; and (7) May involve multiple, objective measures of teacher competency. (iv)(A) When used with respect to any public, or other non-profit private, elementary or secondary school teacher who is exempt from State certification requirements means that the teacher is permitted to and does satisfy rigorous subject knowledge and skills tests by taking competency tests in the applicable grade levels and subject areas. (B) For purposes of paragraph (iv)(A) of this definition, the competency tests taken by a private school teacher must be recognized by five or more States for the purpose of fulfilling the highly qualified teacher requirements as described in paragraphs (i) through (iii) of this definition, and the score achieved by the teacher on each test must equal or exceed the average passing score of those five States. Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR): An electronic record that the Secretary transmits to an institution that includes an applicant's— (1) Personal identification information; (2) Application data used to calculate the applicant's EFC; and (3) EFC. Numeric equivalent: (1) If an otherwise eligible program measures academic performance using an alternative to standard numeric grading procedures, the institution must develop and apply an equivalency policy with a numeric scale for purposes of establishing TEACH Grant eligibility. The institution's equivalency policy must be in writing and available to students upon request and must include clear differentiations of student performance to support a determination that a student has performed at a level commensurate with at least a 3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale in that program. (2) A grading policy that includes only “satisfactory/unsatisfactory”, “pass/fail”, or other similar nonnumeric assessments qualifies as a numeric equivalent only if— (i) The institution demonstrates that the “pass” or “satisfactory” standard has the numeric equivalent of at least a 3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale awarded in that program, or that a student's performance for tests and assignments yielded a numeric equivalent of a 3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale; and (ii) For an eligible institution, the institution's equivalency policy is consistent with any other standards the institution may have developed for academic and other title IV, HEA program purposes, such as graduate school applications, scholarship eligibility, and insurance certifications, to the extent such standards distinguish among various levels of a student's academic performance. Payment Data: An electronic record that is provided to the Secretary by an institution showing student disbursement information. Post-baccalaureate program: A program of instruction for individuals who have completed a baccalaureate degree, that— (1) Does not lead to a graduate degree; (2) Consists of courses required by a State in order for a student to receive a professional certification or licensing credential that is required for employment as a teacher in an elementary school or secondary school in that State, except that it does not include any program of instruction offered by a TEACH Grant-eligible institution that offers a baccalaureate degree in education; and (3) Is treated as an undergraduate program of study for the purposes of title IV of the HEA. Retiree: An individual who has decided to change his or her occupation for any reason and who has expertise, as determined by the institution, in a high-need field. Scheduled Award: The maximum amount of a TEACH Grant that a full-time student could receive for a year. School or educational service agency serving low-income students (low-income school): An elementary school, secondary school, or educational service agency that is listed in the Department's Teacher Cancellation Low-Income (TCLI) Directory. The Secretary considers all elementary and secondary schools and educational service agencies operated by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) in the Department of the Interior or operated on Indian reservations by Indian Tribal groups under contract or grant with the BIE to qualify as schools or educational service agencies serving low-income students. Secondary school: A nonprofit institutional day or residential school, including a public secondary charter school, that provides secondary education, as determined under State law, except that the term does not include any education beyond grade 12. Student Aid Report (SAR): A report provided to an applicant by the Secretary showing the amount of his or her expected family contribution. TEACH Grant-eligible institution: An eligible institution as defined in 34 CFR part 600 that meets financial responsibility standards established in 34 CFR part 668, subpart L, or that qualifies under an alternative standard in 34 CFR 668.175 and— (1) Provides a high-quality teacher preparation program at the baccalaureate or master's degree level that— (i)(A) Is accredited by a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary for the accreditation of professional teacher education programs; or (B) Is approved by a State and includes a minimum of 10 weeks of full-time pre-service clinical experience, or its equivalent, and provides either pedagogical coursework or assistance in the provision of such coursework; and (ii) Provides supervision and support services to teachers, or assists in the provision of services to teachers, such as— (A) Identifying and making available information on effective teaching skills or strategies; (B) Identifying and making available information on effective practices in the supervision and coaching of novice teachers; and (C) Mentoring focused on developing effective teaching skills and strategies; (2) Provides a two-year program that— (i) Is acceptable for full credit in a baccalaureate teacher preparation program of study offered by an institution described in paragraph (1) of this definition, as demonstrated by the institutions; or (ii) Is acceptable for full credit in a baccalaureate degree program in a high-need field at an institution described in paragraph (3) of this definition, as demonstrated by the institutions; (3) Offers a baccalaureate degree that, in combination with other training or experience, will prepare an individual to teach in a high-need field as defined in this part and has entered into an agreement with an institution described in paragraphs (1) or (4) of this definition to provide courses necessary for its students to begin a career in teaching; or (4) Provides a post-baccalaureate program of study. TEACH Grant-eligible program: An eligible program, as defined in 34 CFR 668.8, is a program of study at a TEACH Grant-eligible institution that is designed to prepare an individual to teach as a highly qualified teacher in a high-need field and leads to a baccalaureate or master's degree, or is a post-baccalaureate program of study. A two-year program of study that is acceptable for full credit toward a baccalaureate degree is considered to be a program of study that leads to a baccalaureate degree. Teacher: A person who provides direct classroom teaching or classroom-type teaching in a non-classroom setting, including special education teachers and reading specialists. Teacher preparation program: A State-approved course of study, the completion of which signifies that an enrollee has met all the State's educational or training requirements for initial certification or licensure to teach in the State's elementary or secondary schools. A teacher preparation program may be a regular program or an alternative route to certification, as defined by the State. For purposes of a TEACH Grant, the program must be provided by an institution of higher education. Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing (Nationwide List): A list of teacher shortage areas, as defined in 34 CFR 682.210(q)(8)(vii), in each State. Award year Clock hour Correspondence course Credit hour Eligible institution Institution of higher education (institution) Regular student Secretary State Title IV, HEA program Academic year Enrolled Expected family contribution (EFC) Free application for Federal student aid (FAFSA). Full-time student Graduate or professional student Half-time student HEA Payment period Three-quarter-time student Undergraduate student William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program Local educational agency (LEA) State educational agency (SEA)

34 C.F.R. § 686.3 Duration of student eligibility.

(a) An undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student enrolled in a TEACH Grant-eligible program may receive the equivalent of up to four Scheduled Awards during the period required for the completion of the first undergraduate baccalaureate program of study and first post-baccalaureate program of study combined. (b) A graduate student is eligible to receive the equivalent of up to two Scheduled Awards during the period required for the completion of a TEACH Grant-eligible master's degree program of study.

34 C.F.R. § 686.4 Institutional participation.

(a) A TEACH Grant-eligible institution that offers one or more TEACH Grant-eligible programs may elect to participate in the TEACH Grant program. (b) If an institution begins participation in the TEACH Grant program during an award year, a student enrolled at and attending that institution is eligible to receive a grant under this part for the payment period during which the institution begins participation and any subsequent payment period. (c) If an institution ceases to participate in the TEACH Grant program or becomes ineligible to participate in the TEACH Grant program during an award year, a student who was attending the institution and who submitted a SAR with an official EFC to the institution, or for whom the institution obtained an ISIR with an official EFC, before the date the institution became ineligible will receive a TEACH Grant for that award year for— (1) The payment periods that the student completed before the institution ceased participation or became ineligible to participate; and (2) The payment period in which the institution ceased participation or became ineligible to participate. (d) An institution that ceases to participate in the TEACH Grant program or becomes ineligible to participate in the TEACH Grant program must, within 45 days after the effective date of the loss of eligibility, provide to the Secretary— (1) The name and other student identifiers as required by the Secretary of each eligible student under § 686.11 who, during the award year, submitted a SAR with an official EFC to the institution or for whom it obtained an ISIR with an official EFC before it ceased to participate in the TEACH Grant program or became ineligible to participate; (2) The amount of funds paid to each student for that award year; (3) The amount due each student eligible to receive a grant through the end of the payment period during which the institution ceased to participate in the TEACH Grant program or became ineligible to participate; and (4) An accounting of the TEACH Grant program expenditures for that award year to the date of termination.

34 C.F.R. § 686.5 Enrollment status for students taking regular and correspondence courses.

(a) If, in addition to regular coursework, a student takes correspondence courses from either his or her own institution or another institution having an arrangement for this purpose with the student's institution, the correspondence work may be included in determining the student's enrollment status to the extent permitted under paragraph (b) of this section. (b) Except as noted in paragraph (c) of this section, the correspondence work that may be included in determining a student's enrollment status is that amount of work that— (1) Applies toward a student's degree or post-baccalaureate program of study or is remedial work taken by the student to help in his or her TEACH Grant-eligible program; (2) Is completed within the period of time required for regular coursework; and (3) Does not exceed the amount of a student's regular coursework for the payment period for which enrollment status is being calculated. (c)(1) Notwithstanding the limitation in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, a student who would be a half-time student based solely on his or her correspondence work is considered a half-time student unless the calculation in paragraph (b) of this section produces an enrollment status greater than half-time. (2) A student who would be a less-than-half-time student based solely on his or her correspondence work or a combination of correspondence work and regular coursework is considered a less-than-half-time student. (d) The following chart provides examples of the application of the regulations set forth in this section. It assumes that the institution defines full-time enrollment as 12 credits per term, making half-time enrollment equal to six credits per term.

34 C.F.R. § 686.6 Payment from more than one institution.

A student may not receive grant payments under this part concurrently from more than one institution.

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