Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers

Concern: With the advent of the recession and the lingering financial consequences, many of the new members of our profession have embraced the services of the federal government and taken on student loans to subsidize the graduate school programs in which they are enrolled. These loans allow them to finish school and enter the profession of school librarianship.

The Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers “is intended to encourage individuals to enter and continue in the teaching profession. Under this program, individuals who teach full time for five consecutive, complete academic years in certain elementary and secondary schools that serve low-income families and meet other qualifications may be eligible for forgiveness of up to a combined total of $17,500 in principal and interest on their FFEL and/or Direct Loan program loans. (Note: As of August 14, 2008, an otherwise eligible borrower may qualify for forgiveness if the borrower has provided qualifying teaching services at one or more locations that are operated by an educational service agency.)”

Section Six of the application includes definitions of the terms used in the application. The definition for teacher is as follows: “A teacher is a person who provides direct classroom teaching or classroom-type teaching in a non-classroom setting, including special education teachers. School librarians, guidance counselors, and other administrative staff are not considered teachers for the purposes of this loan forgiveness program.”

The direct exclusion of “School Librarians” from the definition of teacher, and from receiving any benefits under this program, is deplorable. AASL needs to take action on this misguided definition of “teacher” to convince the federal government that school librarians are teachers by every definition of the word!

Action: The Affiliate Assembly Executive Committee approved this concern and sent it to the Affiliate Assembly body. The Assembly revised the concern and approved passing the revision on to the AASL Board.

Revised Concern: This concern addresses the direct exclusion of “School Librarians” from the definition of teacher in the Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers. AASL should act to convince the appropriate federal agency that school librarians are teachers by every definition of the word.

The Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers “is intended to
encourage individuals to enter and continue in the teaching profession.
Under this program, individuals who teach full time for five consecutive,
complete academic years in certain elementary and secondary schools that
serve low-income families and meet other qualifications may be eligible for
forgiveness of up to a combined total of $17,500 in principal and interest on
their FFEL and/or Direct Loan program loans. (Note: As of August 14, 2008,
an otherwise eligible borrower may qualify for forgiveness if the borrower
has provided qualifying teaching services at one or more locations that are
operated by an educational service agency.)”

Section Six of the application includes definitions of the terms used in the
application. The definition for teacher is as follows:

“A teacher is a person who provides direct classroom teaching or
classroom-type teaching in a non-classroom setting, including special
education teachers.

School librarians, guidance counselors, and other administrative staff are not
considered teachers for the purposes of this loan forgiveness program.”

Action: The ALA Washington Office continues to lobby for the addition of librarians into federal student loan forgiveness. Information on Higher Education - Loan forgiveness can be found on the ALA website.