Teaching Special Education

For cancellation based on teaching special education you must:

  • satisfy the criteria for teaching and
  • be employed as a special education teacher.

Criteria for Teaching

A teacher is a person who provides to students

  • either direct classroom teaching,
  • or classroom-type teaching in a non-classroom setting,
  • or educational services directly related to classroom teaching
    (e.g. librarian; guidance counselor)

In addition, the borrower must be:

  • teaching full time
  • in a public or other nonprofit elementary or secondary school system
  • directly employed by the school system.

Positions With Special Requirements

The following positions qualify only if

  • the person is licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate state education agency for that area in which he or she is providing related special educational services
  • the services provided by the individual are part of the educational curriculum for handicapped children:
    • speech and language pathology and audiology
    • physical therapy
    • occupational therapy
    • psychological and counseling services
    • recreational therapy

The following programs qualify only if the STATE considers them to be part of its elementary education program:

  • pre-school
  • pre-kindergarten
  • kindergarten

Teaching in Multiple Locations

A borrower who is simultaneously teaching part time in two or more schools may request a cancellation if an official at one of the schools certifies that the borrower taught full time for a full academic year. For example

  • under a consortium agreement, a borrower may be employed by the consortium and teach at member schools.
  • two or more schools, by mutual agreement, could arrange to have one school employ the borrower on a full-time basis and then hire out his or her services to the other school(s) involved in the agreement.
  • a borrower can be considered to have been a full-time teacher for an academic year if he or she can obtain appropriate certifications that he or she has taught in two half-time teaching positions for a complete academic year in two elementary or secondary schools or in two secondary schools.
If it cannot easily be determined that the borrower taughts full time, then the borrower's cancellation request must be denied.

Incomplete Academic Year

Borrowers who cannot complete the academic year because of illness or pregnancy may still qualify for cancellation if they

  • have completed the first half of the academic year
  • have begun teaching the second half of the academic year
  • are deemed by their employer to have fulfilled the year's contract.

Rate of Cancellation

Any interest that may have accrued during the year of eligible employment will be canceled. In addition, the following percentages of the original principal loan amount will be canceled.

Years of CancellationRate of Cancellation
First year 15%
Second year 15%
Third year 20%
Fourth year 20%
Fifth year 30%

Forms

Return to Cancellation Page