An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Educators for Maine Program

Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §12501-A, sub-§10,  as enacted by PL 2003, c. 427, §2, is amended to read:

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §12501-A, sub-§12,  as amended by PL 2013, c. 7, §1, is further amended to read:

Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §12501-A, sub-§14-A  is enacted to read:

Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §12502,  as amended by PL 2003, c. 427, §3, is further amended by adding at the end a new paragraph to read:

Under the program, the authority may annually award a certain number of loan repayments to selected educators in underserved geographic areas as funds permit. A selected loan repayment recipient must enter into a loan repayment agreement with the authority and may receive payment from the authority on the recipient's outstanding student debt for each year of service as long as the recipient teaches in an underserved geographic area.

Sec. 5. 20-A MRSA §12503, last ¶,  as amended by PL 1999, c. 441, §7, is repealed.

Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §12504, last ¶,  as amended by PL 2003, c. 427, §5, is further amended to read:

Loans of up to $2,000 per academic year or $8,000 total in an amount to be determined annually by the authority based on available funds, but in no event less than $3,000 per academic year for eligible undergraduate students and $2,000 per academic year for eligible students pursuing postbaccalaureate certification, may be made to students pursuing postbaccalaureate certification. Loans of up to $3,000 per academic year or $12,000 total may be made to eligible undergraduate students. Selected full-time undergraduate students may receive loans for a period not to exceed 8 semesters at the institution they attend. Selected full-time and part-time students pursuing postbaccalaureate certifications may receive loans for a period not to exceed 4 semesters or the equivalent thereof at the institution they attend. An individual who has received an Educators for Maine loan as an undergraduate may also receive a loan for students pursuing postbaccalaureate certification. In no event may an individual receive more than $20,000 in total Educators for Maine loans. Loans are for one academic year and are renewable if the recipient maintains a grade point average of at least 2.5 based on a 4.0 grade point system or the equivalent and submits a complete renewal application by the deadline annually.

Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §12505, sub-§1,  as amended by PL 2003, c. 427, §6, is further amended to read:

Sec. 8. 20-A MRSA §12507, first ¶,  as amended by PL 2003, c. 427, §10, is further amended to read:

Each student who receives a loan may cancel the total amount of the loan by completing one year of return service in the a public schools school, publicly supported secondary school, special education facility as defined in section 7001, subsection 6 or private schools school approved for tuition purposes in the State for each year the individual receives a loan. An individual who received that individual's first program loan after January 1, 2000 may also cancel the total amount of the loan by completing one year of return service by working in a child care facility. The return service requirement is one year for every 2 years or less that the individual receives a loan if return service is performed in an underserved subject area or an underserved geographic area. Return service for this purpose must be performed within 5 10 years of graduation from the institution of higher education. If the chief executive officer grants a deferment, the time period for performance of return service may be extended for the same period as the deferment. Return service may not be credited for the same semester for which an individual receives a loan pursuant to this chapter. Pro rata loan forgiveness may be granted for part-time return service as determined by rule of the authority. Failure to fulfill the return service option necessitates repayment to the authority as follows.

summary

This bill amends the laws governing the Educators for Maine Program by expanding certain definitions to include home-schooled students and educator service at publicly supported secondary schools and special education facilities; adding service in underserved geographic areas as an eligibility criterion; adding a loan repayment provision to the program; removing the provision whereby the Governor announces selected recipients annually; authorizing the Finance Authority of Maine to increase maximum loan amounts based on available funding; establishing limits on the duration a recipient may benefit under the program; removing the preference for loans to undergraduate students enrolled in a course of study related to underserved subject areas; and increasing from 5 to 10 years the amount of time a recipient has to complete the return service requirement.