Missouri Code of State Regulations
Title 6 - DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Division 10 - Commissioner of Higher Education
Chapter 2 - Student Financial Assistance Programs
Section 6 CSR 10-2.200 - Minority Teaching Scholarship Program

(A) Academic year shall be from July 1 of any year through June 30 of the following year.

(B) Applicant means a student who has filed a complete and accurate application to receive a Minority Teaching Scholarship award as prescribed by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) and who qualifies to receive such award under section 161.415, RSMo.

(C) Approved institution means any institution that offers a teacher education program approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or a Coordinating Board for Higher Education-approved Associate of Arts in Teaching program.

(D) Award year shall be from July 1 of any year through June 30 of the following year, excluding summer terms.

(E) CBHE means the Coordinating Board for Higher Education.

(F) Department means the Department of Higher Education created by section 173.005, RSMo.

(G) EFC means expected family contribution, the measure of how much the student and the student's family can be expected to contribute to the cost of the student's education for the year, as calculated annually by the United States Department of Education as a result of an official federal need analysis based on the student's federal need-based aid application form.

(H) Expenses mean any educational-related expenses including, but not limited to, tuition, fees, and room and board.

(I) Full-time student means an undergraduate student who is enrolled in at least twelve (12) semester hours, eight (8) quarter hours, or the equivalent in another measurement system, or a graduate student who is enrolled in at least nine (9) semester hours or the equivalent in another measurement system, but in either case not less than the respective number sufficient to secure the degree toward which the student is working in no more than the number of semesters, or their equivalent, normally required by the institution for the program in which the student is enrolled. Provided, however, that an otherwise eligible student having a disability as defined by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12101-12213) who, because of the student's disability, is unable to satisfy the statutory minimum requirements of full-time status under Title IV student aid programs shall be considered by the approved institution to be a full-time student and shall be considered to be making satisfactory academic progress, as defined in subsection (1)(P) of this rule, while carrying a minimum of six (6) credit hours or their equivalent at the approved institution.

(J) Gainful employment means any substantial gainful activity that exists in the national economy and is not limited to the recipient's original occupation.

(K) Initial recipient means a student who qualifies under section 161.415, RSMo, has filed an accurate and complete application by the deadline established by the department for the Minority Teaching Scholarship program, and has not received a Minority Teaching Scholarship award in any prior academic year.

(L) Minority teaching shall mean the Minority Teaching Scholarship program set forth in sections 161.415-161.424, RSMo.

(M) Minority teaching award shall mean an amount of money paid by the state of Missouri to a qualified applicant under the Minority Teaching Scholarship program.

(N) Renewal recipient means a student who received a Minority Teaching Scholarship award, who meets the requirements set forth in 161.415, RSMo, and who has filed an accurate and complete application by the deadline established by the department for the Minority Teaching Scholarship program.

(O) Residency, for the purpose of this rule, shall be determined by reference to the standards set forth in the determination of student residency rule, 6 CSR 10-3.010.

(P) Satisfactory academic progress shall be a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least two and one-half (2.5) on a four-point (4.0) scale, or the equivalent on another scale, and, with the exception of grade point average, as otherwise determined by the approved institution's policies as applied to other students at the approved institution receiving assistance under Title IV financial aid programs included in the Higher Education Act of 1965. The calculation of CGPA shall be based on the approved institution's policies as applied to other students in similar circumstances.

(Q) Standardized test shall mean an accepted standardized test of academic ability including, but not limited to, the SAT, ACT, or SCAT.

(R) Temporary total disability shall mean a disability resulting from an injury or illness that renders a recipient unable to be engaged in gainful employment for a period of less than twelve (12) months from the date of such injury or illness.

(S) Total and permanent disability shall mean disability resulting from an injury or illness that renders a recipient unable to be engaged in gainful employment or attend an educational institution for a period of at least twelve (12) months from the date of such injury or illness and that is expected to continue for a long or indefinite period of time or to result in death.

(A) Only institutions who have entered into a participation agreement with the department may receive disbursements under the Minority Teaching Scholarship program.

(B) Participating institutions shall meet the following requirements:

(C) Institutions should report to the department the name of any enrolled recipient who ceases study leading to teacher certification within thirty (30) days of making this determination.

(A) Meet the requirements in section 173.1110, RSMo.

(B) Initial or renewal recipients, at the time of application and through the period the award is received, must meet the requirements set forth in section 161.415, RSMo.

(C) Initial recipients must have a high school rank at or above the seventy-fifth percentile at the time of graduation or as calculated at the end of the student's sixth semester.

(A) The department shall annually prescribe the time and method for filing applications for financial assistance under the Minority Teaching Scholarship program. It shall make announcement of its action in these respects.

(B) Students shall apply annually for financial assistance under the Minority Teaching Scholarship program by completing and submitting the application prescribed by the department and by completing and submitting the federal need-based aid application form prescribed by the United States Department of Education.

(C) At the time of application, applicants must-

(D) The department will evaluate each student's application for a minority teaching award and rank selected recipients based on the following criteria:

(E) Selected recipients will be matched in rank order with their first institutional choice until all openings at an institution are filled. If all openings are filled at the selected recipient's first institutional choice, the selected recipient will be matched at the second or third choice, respectively.

(F) Applicants will be notified of their eligibility status once recipients have been selected and awards have been determined. Notification of eligibility will also be sent to the student financial aid office at the approved institution where the student plans to enroll or has enrolled.

(A) Minority teaching awards shall be allotted for one (1) academic year.

(B) A renewal recipient may continue to receive a minority teaching award for a maximum of three (3) additional years, for a total of four (4) years, so long as the applicant meets the following criteria. Awards received as an undergraduate student are included in the four (4)-year total for graduate students.

(C) Initial and renewal recipients who meet the eligibility requirements set forth in section 161.415, RSMo, and this rule shall be eligible for a minority teaching award of three thousand dollars ($3,000) per academic year, comprised of a two thousand dollar ($2,000)-state award that will convert to a loan if the recipient fails to meet the program's obligations, and a one thousand dollar ($1,000)-institutional award.

(D) A recipient who has been denied a minority teaching award for lack of satisfactory academic progress may not receive another minority teaching award until the enrollment period after the applicable standard has once again been met.

(E) Minority teaching awards will be made for use during the normal academic year, but no funds for minority teaching awards will be granted for use for summer school.

(F) No minority teaching awards will be made retroactive to a previous academic year. A minority teaching award will be made retroactive to a previous semester only upon the sole discretion of the department.

(G) Minority teaching awards will only be made after certification of full-time attendance of the student by the institution and receipt of the signed and notarized promissory note by the department. For a student eligible as part of a consortium agreement, the student must be considered to be enrolled full-time for purposes of federal student aid.

(H) Only one-half (1/2) of the annual minority teaching award will be issued in a semester of that award year.

(I) The applicant's award will be sent to the approved institution to be delivered to the student's account. The institution shall retain the portion of the award that the student owes for expenses and promptly give the applicant any remaining funds.

(J) An applicant's failure to provide required information by the established deadlines may result in loss of the minority teaching award.

(K) The CBHE has the discretion to withhold payments of any minority teaching awards after initiating an inquiry into the eligibility of a recipient or into the approved status of an institution.

(L) A student may transfer from one (1) approved institution to another without losing eligibility for assistance under the Minority Teaching Scholarship program, as long as the institution to which the student is transferring is able to match the student's state award. The student must notify the department immediately of the transfer.

(A) For each year, up to five (5) years, the recipient teaches in a Missouri public elementary or secondary school, one-fifth (1/5) of the amount of the state scholarship received shall be applied against the total amount of the state scholarship and shall not be subject to repayment.

(B) The employer shall annually provide certification to the department the recipient holds a qualifying teaching position.

(C) Recipients shall defer repayment if their qualified employment is interrupted for one (1) of the following reasons:

(D) The deferment of repayment shall begin on the date the recipient ceases to teach. The recipient must notify the department at the beginning and end of the interruption in employment and provide any requested supporting documentation. The recipient must also return to a qualified teaching position following the interruption.

(E) Recipients must promptly report to the department any change of mailing address.

(A) Recipients must notify the department within thirty (30) days of a change in enrollment status or employment that would trigger repayment.

(B) Recipients must promptly report to the department any change of mailing address.

(C) The scholarship shall convert to a loan and the recipient shall repay the scholarship funds received from the state with interest at a rate of nine and one-half percent (9.5%) charged on the unpaid balance of the amount received if the recipient-

(D) The department shall mail a repayment schedule to the recipient.

(E) Payments shall be applied first to accrued interest with any remaining amount applied to principal.

(F) Recipients shall not be subject to penalty for early repayment.

(G) Recipients may defer principal and interest payments for a period approved by the department for the following reasons:

(H) The recipients must notify the department at the beginning and end of the deferment period and submit to the department any requested supporting documentation.

(I) Interest will not accrue during a deferment period.

(J) Payments made during a deferment period will be applied first to any interest accrued prior to the deferment period and then to principal.

(K) A recipient's account will be in a default status when the recipient has failed to make three (3) consecutive, scheduled payments.

(L) A recipient may remove the account from default status by making three (3) consecutive, on-time payments that are at least the minimum amount provided on the repayment schedule.

(M) All loans in repayment, deferment, or default status will be monitored. All available legal remedies may be pursued to ensure full repayment of loans.

(N) In the event a recipient becomes totally and permanently disabled as certified by a physician, the requirements of the recipient to make any further payment of principal and interest will be cancelled immediately upon approval of the request for cancellation. The recipient must apply to the department for loan cancellation and provide any requested supporting documentation.