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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesFederal Government Allows USVI Teachers Continued Loan Deferments, Cancellations

Federal Government Allows USVI Teachers Continued Loan Deferments, Cancellations

Jan. 28, 2009 – Once again, the Virgin Islands Department of Education has received approval from the U.S. Department of Education for its designated teacher shortage area proposal. The proposal provides new and current teachers with eligibility for certain federal student loan deferments and cancellations retroactive to the 2004-2005 school year, according to Education's Human Resource Director Alscess Lewis-Brown.
The proposal further enables Federal Perkins Loan borrowers who are full time teachers in the areas of mathematics, science, foreign languages, bilingual education or any other field of expertise where the Department determines there is a shortage of highly qualified teachers to qualify for cancellation of up to 100 percent of their loan. It further enables teachers to qualify for the reduction of teaching obligation under the Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program.
The HR director said that while the department has been aggressively working toward the certification of all of its teachers, a requirement of the No Child Left behind Act (NCLB), it is not necessary for a teacher to be certified or licensed to receive cancellation benefits. Lewis-Brown said, "The Department must consider you to be a full-time professional for the purposes of salary, tenure and retirement benefits. You may receive teacher cancellation for services performed in a private school if the private school has established its nonprofit status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and if the school is providing elementary and/or secondary education according to V.I. law."
To obtain a teaching deferment, Federal Perkins Loan borrowers must submit a deferment form to their lender for each school year of teaching service. Federal Stafford/SLS borrowers should contact the Federal Student Aid Hotline at 1-800-4FED-AID. Douglas scholars should contact the state agency that awarded the scholarship. Teachers are reminded that they must reapply each school year for a targeted teaching deferment. Direct loan borrowers should contact the Direct Loan Servicing Center at 1-800-848-0979.
The following areas were approved and designated by the federal government as Teacher Shortage Areas for the U.S.V.I. for the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 school years: bilingual/ESL (English as a second language), elementary education, English, foreign Languages, mathematics (7-12), music, physical education, school nurse, science, social studies, special education and therapists (OT, PT, ST).
Lewis-Brown said, "This is great news for us at the department as the implications will have a great impact on teacher recruitment and retention activities. Veteran teachers as well as new teachers will be able to realize these benefits for each year that they are employed by the Virgin Islands Department of Education."

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